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OHE COUUlJlTY AlID ITS YOUTH 



A Manual for 
Community Study of Social Hygiene 



tI'"W.J Galloway, Bi.D., Litt.D, 
ilssociate Director, Educational Activities 
The -njnerican Social Hygiene Association 



This preliminary draft of the manual is issued for 
the use of mem"bers of the community discussion groups, 
and is not intended for general circulation. 



Copyright 1922 

AI.IERICA1J SOCIAL HYGIEIJE ASSOCIATION 
370 Seventh Avenue, New York City 



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Part I 'ITie Community and Sex Education Page 

Chap, I ^he Necessity of sex education 1 

II The Corainunity as the unit in sex education • . . . . 9 

III A practical working program for the comraunity , « . 17 

Fart II Sex in Life . 

Chap. I The hiological place of reproduction and sex in life 24 
II Psychological elements in reproduction and sex and 

their effects on human life , , . . 30 

III Sound and onsoand use of appetites including those 

of sex , 39 

IT Sex and character 49 

V Individual and social results of failure to control 

the sex impulses . . . 61 

VI Spirit and method of securing sex control ..... 76 

VII The home as the center of sex-social health . » . . 88 

Part III Education of Young People in Respect to Sex 

Chap. I Nature, scope, objects and prohleras of sex education 102 

II Spirit, resources and manner of sex education . . , 113 

III The method and the grading of sex education «... 127 

IV The early home period in sex education ... ... 135 

V The period of the early school grades 149 

VI The time of puberty and of the junior high school . 156 

VII The post-pubertal period of adolescence ...... 163 

VIII !L'he period of maturity, marriage and parenthood , . 177 

IX Graded Projects in Bex education ........ , 198 

X Special Tasks of the various Comraunity Agencies . . 232 



(In preparation; 
Part IV The. C ommunity as Environment 

■'Ghap. I The practical use of recreative agencies ,• , 

II The legislative and law enforcement program 

III The community control of venereal disease , 

IV Protective social measures . » 



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1. 

Chapter !• Jho Necessity of Sez Education; Problems. Possi- 
bilities and Linitationg > 

Vi/3aat is As ^ve all Miow quite v/ell, Jfhygiene" relates to health 

Health? it recognises that the various special parts of our bodies 

are able and accustoned to do certain taslcs which are !r.ore 

or less necessary for the health of the body as a living 
unit, iin organ may be eaid to be working healthily if it does its 
o\m particular v;ork in such a T:ay that the organ itself is not injured. 
And yet clearly this v;oiild be too narrow a definition of its health. 
Each organ also does its worls: in relation to the whole complex bdidy 
of v/hich it is a part* The liver must not merely transform and store 
and release sugar in a way v/hich does not injure its own powers; it 
must do. all this in harmony with the uses of sugo-r in the muscles and 
the suitable percentage of sugar in the blood. Health then is not 
merely sound worlcing from the point of viev; of a single cell or of 
a group of cells; but quite as much from the point of viex; of the 
adjustment of adapateition of such a cell or organ to the who le complex 
organism of which it is part« 

is healtii One m3.ght say that a condition of health is the np.turn.1 
or disease state of a body© At least it is the pattern toward which 
normal? we think, xmen we are optimistic^ However, it is also 
necessary to realize, because the human body is so com- 
plex and the hereditary combinations, v;hich each one of 
us receives from his long ancestry are so mixed, that this ideal, 
this perfect adjustment of all the parts to their own worlc and to 
one another, rarely happens. One might even liold under these cir- 
cumstajices that there is no such thing to be e:rpected as a. per fectly 
healthful adjustment of all the structures -^rxd functions of any body; 
and that the best that can be done is to soften aid remove friction here 
and there, and thus keep dov/n the grosser maladjustment which make 
up actual disease of body or:imind» 

How Good health is partly, but not solely, due to these 

secure organic, alm.ost automatic, and usually unconscious re- 

health? adjustments which our bodies make within and to the 

world outside. We have, however, reached that place 

in our knov/ledge of life where we can c onsciousl y aid 
the functions of our hmnm mechanism to remain normal when they are 
so, and to readjust them.selves when they bec om e deranged ^ It is 
part of the work of hygiene consciously to discover and apply 
Imowledgc and eaiperience so that we xnr^y increase as much as possible 
our health of body, mind and relatioiiSc 

What is All of us have been inclined to think of disease and health 
the range as chiefly a matter of body. In a, dim way ^ve have recog- 
of dis- nized that there are "minds diseased", and unhealthy 
ease and desires, emotions, attitudes and ideals. But we have 
health? been disposed to use such worcls as "insanity" and "sin 
to describe theseo Such terras are merely names for un- 
sound and unhealthy states of minds and notives in just 
the saae v;ay as "fever" marks an adjustment of abnormal bodily pro- 
cesses, aihese terms do not erplain the malady of personality which 



tLey name; nor do they take It out of the suope of personal hygiene 
in its largest meaning, nor free us from responsibility to work for 
right adjustment hy every natural means. It is the purpose of the 
physician, the teacher, the spiritual adviser to apply what we Idiott 
about life and its development to the bringing about of healthy 
adjustment of the various intellectual, emotional, esthetic, moral, 
and religious, no less than the bodily functions, so that personality 
may be whole an d wholesome. All such are hygienic workers in a 
broad sense. It needs no argument that they should work intelligently. 

Social Many v;riters, ancient and modern, have likened human society 
Hygiene to an organism. In many ways it is fruitful to think of 
includes it as such, if we do not press the analogy too far. 
what? Individuals are related to one another in small groups 

somewhat as the cells and tissues are tied together in 

organs; and these smaller xmits work in our general and 
complex society somewhat as organs work in a complex body. Social 
health and ill-health are just as real as individual disease and 
health. Furthermore any ailment of body, mind, or motive in any 
individual; any poor adjustment of an individual to another indivi- 
dual or to any group, or of one group to another, means friction and 
strain and unwholesomeness in society. In society, as in the indivi- 
dual, unwholesome mental attitudes and relations may be quite as 
disastrous as physical diseases. These social strains can be foreseen 
and adjusted just as really as the personal derangements ^vithin the 
individual. The task is more complex and more difficult; but it is 
no less important, if civilization is to survive and develop rationally. 
Social hygiene then means the scientific application of all our ex- 
perience and knov/ledge, and even best guesses where we have nothing 
better, to the conditions of our group life,- physical, emotional, 
economic, social, educational, esthetic, ethical, and religious. 
Health and whole someness cannot spring from the mere chance mixture 
of \inwholesome elements! 

IVhy do we The comfort and desirability of good adjustments within 
need to oneself and to our fellows are so obvious, it would seem 
exhort unnecessary to put on campaigns to urge either personal 
people or social health upon people. Nevertheless i it _is neces- 
about sary for seif-^t>rotection, if for no other reason. Since 
health? the health of each is so v/fapped up with that of every 

^ other, why are people so careless of the problems of 

health? Apparently the follov/ing factors are at least 
a part of the reasons why people must be urged: - 

1. Ignorance . We do not always realize that most of our 
personal and social had adjustments can be made better, by sane at- 
tention; nor know what steps to take to improve them. 

2. Appetites . Our human desires are keen, and by imagina - 
tion we increase their strength. This tends to make us discount and 
disregard the later ill effects of present indulgence, even when we 
know, 

3. The surroundings . These are often highly artificial and 
may greatly strengthen the temptation to over-indulge cur appetites, 
may weaken our resistance, and thus may steer us toward unsuitable 
behavior, ill health, and the injury of others. 



^* I.r.dolence. E^en v'hen we fully appreciate the bad 
effects that may follow? the line of least resistance, xve often lack 
the positive vigor and energy to do the harder thing. 

We can remove igm^ ranee; \7e can improve surroundings; 
and we can even change and guide appetites by suitable educational 
methods. For these reasons we believe that our indolence and in- 
ertia may in time give way, in part, to enthusiasm for health, 
sanity, and social adjustment, happiness, and usefulness. In some 
degree we can influence public opinion so that it will have a 
positive and tonic effect upon the individual. 

The Home The home is in a peculiar way an agency which deter;7iines 
the center the health of body and mind of every individual in it. 
of social Ivlost of us enter society, as well as life itself thru 
health. the home. The home as an educating and nourishing unit 

is peculiarly powerful, furthermore, in its influence 

upon the general organization and health of the larger 
society. Because of this preponderent influence of the home; 
because human social health is wrapped up at every point with the 
wholesoraeness of marriage relations, parenthood, the fraternal 
spirit, the education of children, and other aspects of normal 
family life, there is a growing tendency to connect and identify 
the idea of social hygiene particularly v/ith the preservation and 
i mprovement of the monogamous home . This is at least its most 
important task. If it fails in this, we can scarcely hope to 
preserve for human society those sympathies, devotions, sacrifices 
and refinements which connect with marriage and parenthood and have 
gradually grought us out of the crude competitive struggle for 
individual ezistence into at least the beginnings of a social 
evolution. 

What are The wholeeoraeness or happiness of a home, whether for the 
the essen- units that make it up or for the society of which it is 
tials of a part, does not come as an accident. Neither does it 
the home result as a mere haphazard balancing up of counter- 
and its currents of selfishness in the individuals that compose 
health? it. Often, to be sure, this is all we find in certain 

family groups. But such homes have not been the basis 

of the social evolution we have reached. The home rests 
upon two very old biological functions and groups of impulses which 
in the course of evolution have become inseparable, > reproduction 
and _sex. Unless we take proper account of the biological, psycho- 
logical and social meanings of sex and reproduction and the complica- 
tions for which they are responsible in society, v.'e cannot possibly 
get at the motives which underlie not merely the home but society 
itself. Furthermore, unless we rightly guide and train these motives 
We cannot p->ssibly have social health anywhere - in the home or out; 
Of it. Underlying the home and its health are reproduction and sex,- 
including the attractions and impulses and desires of sex, the love 
and devoti'jn of mates from the merely physical elements to the most 
humane and spiritual, parenthood and the care and love for children, 
parental education of children, filial confidence and devotion, and 
the relations and emotions of brotherhood. There are no more powertni 
or elevating motives than these in human life. That they should be^ 
common and continue in an atmosphere of trust, confidence and love iS- 
essential to social health. Hence it is that each human individual 
needs to understand and appre<^iate reproduction and sexat ■fbeir 
actual and possible values. 



Sex- Since sex and reproduction influence the emotions, the 
social imagination, the thoughts, the attitudes, the choices, 
education and the behavior so profcmdly, we cannot rightly thinlc 
is of sex education and training as sone thing apart from 
character educati'^n of character and life. For health then, our 
education, problem is to get this home and all its cloaracter- 
making factors intn our character education in its 
proper proportions all through the formative years. 
In very large degree, sex problems and training of children with 
respect to them have been ignored altogether, or have been delayed 
beyond the time when the help should be given, or merely-, treated 
in a negative way by condemning or forbidding certain specific 
acts or associations as 'Hvrnng", or dangerous. Or we have merely 
"generalized" character and have exhorted the young to seek it, 
without giving them suitable clues as to how their various natural 
impulses are related to it, and how they may be used or abuded in 
building the complex of character. We are learning that character 
education cannot be compassed by merely denying or repressing the 
various impulses. These inherited impulses have not only a fruitful 
past history; they are important in a constructive way to individual 
life now. The solution of the problem will not come by condemning 
the impulses, as essentially sinful. It is a question of under- 
standing, of guidance, of delay and control, of refinement, of use 
of natural impulses in such ways as will bring social health and 
personal happiness and development by the use we make of them. 
Sex is no more an exception to this principle of finding the wise 
use of impulses than is curiosity and love of truth or than the 
natural desire for entertainment and novelty, 

1/Vhy has The sex impulses are so powerful and have so been abused 
sex been and perverted that our thoughts about sex have for ages 
so left been peculiarly directed to these perversions* There 
out of our has been in consequence a grooving reticence about the 
conscious whole matter of sex, as our morality and social sense 
education? have increased. This reticence of decent people has 

left the field open to those who for commercial reasons 

or for love of the vulgar xvould exploit sex and they 
have made full and fatal use of iti The result is a vicious circle. 
Our very delicacy has been made to insure that a coarse and vulgar 
interpretation of sex shall first come to our young people. When 
they discover the fine and high meanings of sex,- if they ever do, 
they are already full of complexes and embarrassments on the subject 
which again meke them deal unnaturally and evasively with it to 
their own children. 

Surely a factor in our human life which makes all that 
goes under the terms "manly" and "\vomanly"; which has made these 
qualities seem admirable and fine; which gives us boys and girls, 
men and women, courtship and marriage, husband and V7ife, fathers 
and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and all the 
associations, loves, devotions, and sacrifices growing out of 
these relations (v.'hich in the total we call family and home) ; 
r;hich through the home has done more than any other single quality 
to organize and inspire human society and to make life v/orth while, 
caT^nfct reasonably be left out of our education for life. It may be 



difficult, with our false training, to put it back into education 
wisely and effectively; Taut it surely is not sane further to ig- 
nore it, when icnorance cannot solve any of its many problems, 
and only perpetually vulgarizes them and makes them more difficult. 

ViTiat The first necessary step for us as adults is thoroughly 
then is to reuiove from our own mind this false conception of, 
our first and attitude toward sex, and to find \7ays to prevent 
task? it arising in our children. The first step involves 

' 3elf~edu cati::r. of adults. This means that we must 

study and iiiiucrritnnd the naturalness and the strength 
of the sex and reproductive qualities and the T7onderful part v;hich 
reproduction and sex and the impulses and appetites and emotions 
and relations v.hich grow out of these play in our individual develop- 
ment and in our social evolution in order that the v^hole idea may 
be redeemed for us. It means that our v7hole attitude should become 
positive and constructive and clean, instead of negative, vulgar, 
embarrassed and fearful. The perversions and vulgarities will 
take an entirely subordinate place. 

'T^e The second step can, \7ith safety, only follow the 
Second first. It implies that, we, after we appreciate the 
Step? influence of sex upon human life at its full value, 

, • ■ must also discover the best ways and times and persons 

to bring our children, little by little, so to appre- 
ciate the greatness of sex at its best, that they will be unwilling 
to sacrifice this best for any cheaper, more shoddy substitutes which 
lie so openly and temptingly before them. 

^Vhat has Of course there have been times when civilized men have 
brought dealt pretty frankly about sex matters in their con- 
this versation and literature. Ordinarily this has accom- 
change of panied openly coarse and lascivious social customs, 
attitude Because of the perfectly natural human interest in the 
toward subject, there has always been an es-p?.oi';ation of this 
sex? sex interest for commercial gain in literature, art, 

and amusements. Maaay of our plays, films, many bocks 

and dance and amusement halls are present day examples 
of such exploitation,. For some generations past, however, because 
of these very things there has been a grov/ing disposition to cover 
up the sex interest. This may be said to be a definite part of the 
educational philosophy of the two or three generations immediately 
back of us. While the impulses that have led to this reticence 
have on the whole been decent and sound ones, it is questionable 
to what degree reticence itself has actually ministered to social 
health. Apparantly it may have been a step in our advance toward 
a sound attitude in the matter, if we do not continue to regard 
it as the actual solution. 

The movement to bring sex and reproduction out in the 
open for positive social evolutionary purposes is recent. The 
reformers who have been combating vice as vice, no less than those 
who have been combating the venereal diseases and the causes of 
them, have led in this publicity. The eugenics movement of recent 
years, which insists that we must find ways to keep out of our 
racial blood those strains which cannot possibly be made healthy, 
has popularized many of the underlying facts of reproduction and 



sex. Most recent of all is the contribution of the educators . 
These hold that ',7e can never so clean up the racial stock nor 
so improve the social environment that vre can expect the in- 
dividual youth unaided and without interpretation to understand 
and appreciate and use his reproductive and sex endowment, either 
for his own greatest happiness and development and for the highest 
social evolution. In some way the race mast hring its own ex- 
periences, observation and raasonine: to the aid of ^^h e yo ung so 
that they will be glad to save themselves some of the mistakes the 
race has made. 

V/hy is It may v;ell be asked: "If the race has been muddling 
education along thus far, and has on the whole been coming up 
urgent? from grosser and more primitive to more controlled 

and intelligent customs, why is definite sex education 

so urgent?" This, among other things, makes it urgent; - 
never before has human consciousness been so focussed on our own 
progress ; never before have so many people been so impatient of 
merely unconscious, irrational, muddling progress; and never before 
has the power of education to mould individual character and public 
opinion been so clear. Peculiarly this sex question is a problem 
to which the best conscious and rational attention must be given 
if v;e are to escape the penalties of unwise solutions. Further- 
more, growing out of the general progress and greatly increased 
by the war conditions, there has been a breaking up of the power 
of the old social-moral sanctions in relation to sex as to other 
things. Unless a sane and convincing, as well as natural and basic, 
education can bring the sex and reproductive relations to a social 
solution within a reasonable tiie, the future of the monogamous 
home and all our hard won advances are precarious, not to say 
doomed. Unless v;e can support the home by overwhelming scientific 
biological-psychological-social-ethical sanctions and convince our 
children to the very foundations of their character that it must 
bo preserved and inproved, our civilization will falter, if it 
does not actually fail. Laws, conventions, formal morality, and 
preaching will not long save or improve the home. Education in 
character by way of sex and social understanding and appreciation may. 

In what As suggested above, v/e may improve human beings and fit 
ways can them better for a healthy lot in life in three principal 
we improve ways: first we may improve the environment and thus give 
the health the natural capacities of the individual a better chance, 
of the just as v;e may cut out the weeds and grass from our 
human gardens; secondly, the native qualit5.es of the individual 
race? may be educated (chiefly in youth) by observation, teaoh- 

ing, example, exercise, and the like, just as we train our 

animals; and thirdly, by selective marriages and breeding 
of humaji beings it is possible, just as in farm animals, to develop 
through heredity any quality v/hich v;e might wish to increase. 

VThile we do not yet know just hov- much improvement can 
be worked in human beings by either one of these methods, and while 
in some ways they may work together for the health of any individual. 



we have come to understand that they do not work together as fully 

as we used to think. For example, there is no evidence that we 

can improve the environment of the individual and educate or drill h^m 

in respect to any quality or power he may have, and then expect 

heredity to take up these results of environment or education and 

give any part of these gains directly to the descendants of this 

individual. 

Can we Uo, our human problem is not nearly so simple as that, 
work in- We are apparently compelled in every generation to do 
heritance all the educational work over again , and perpetually 
and educa- to keep the environment as favorable as possible, 
tion to- Of course we are learning better how to do these things; 
gether? we are accumulating some knowledge (along with mush' 

error); and when an individual learns by observation 

and experience, he can make a better home, one which 
can educate the young earlier and more wisely. But we have no 
evidence that he can change the "blood " in any other way except 
by breeding. Inheritance may pass on abilities which a parent 
had originally; or it may produce new abilities by combining in 
new ways the elements in two parental strains. It gives the 
materials on which the, educator may v7ork : but we have to depend 
on the educator, in respect to sex and everything else, to make 
the most of these raw materials over and over again with each new 
generation. Breeding might slowly work permanent improvement in 
the race; education may work rapid improvement in the individual, 
but it ends with the individual. 

\7hat then If this is true, it follows that each child starts 
is the anew with this full sex endo\wnent, both animal and 
meaning spiritual, unaffected at birth by any experience or 
of our controls which his parents have worked out. All 
ple-a for these mysterious urges from the past go through their 
sex full development in every boy and girl no matter how 
education? much their parents have learned. None of the personal 

victories of the past can remove the struggle he must 

make. His instincts do not have in themselves what 
will guide in their own control. They are not saturated with the 
social gains of humanity. These can only be brought to him through 
social instruction and his own reason, or through his own experience 
interpreted by his reason and the guidance of others. This is 
really our choice; shall we force our sex-driven youths to follow 
their desires, to learn the hard lessons of experience, and after 
forming tastes and habits v^hich degrade to bring their reason to 
bear in breaking up their bad habits and controlling their desires, 
and then to try to make another and better start? Or shall we 
rather from the beginning bring the best racial experience and the 
safest deductions based upon this to his aid, not in the form of 
commands and prohibitions, but in the most persuasive and con- 
vincing educational way we can master? Shall we let him learn to 
his hurt by repeating experimentally the mistakes of the race; 
or shall we help him short-circuit human experience and get the 
sound ideas, ideals, and attitudes without first having been 
crippled by the xalr.e? Sir. education at.Gurr.es, v- believe on good 
evidence, that this more constructive approach can be made in a much 
larger per cent of human beings than now, and that a greater pro- 
portion can be brought wholesomely to exercise the necessary controls* 



8. 

What can We know that we can impart Imowledge, form habits and 
we edu- get skills by teaching and practice. But can we ac- 
cate in tually educate desires, appetites, instincts, impulses, 
huraans? feelings, emotions, raotives, likes and dislikes, standards, 

ideals, attitudes, and purposes? Knowledge is not 

enough to insure right sez, or other, conduct among us. 
While it helps, it helps much less than we often think. Unless we 
can train these warmer springs of character in regard to sex or 
anything else, v/e do not have much chance of moulding either 
character or 6onduct. We have no evidence that there is one of 
these human powers or functions that cannot be trained. There is 
increasing evidence that they can be trained. No one at the present 
moment can set any limits to the degree to which character can "be 
improved or degraded by the training or education of these elements 
of emotions, knowledge, conduct, and habits that go to determine 
character^ These are the qualities which we must learn how to 
educate. They are not supernatural qualities and do not require 
supernatural treatment in order to give sound foundations, to 
character; but they do require the utmost science, common sense, 
sympathy and devotion that we can bring to bear. 



Chapter II. The Commimity as the Unit In Sox Education ; 
Its Tasks and Resources. 



How does In the preceding chapter, reference v/as raado to the i 
sex tear influence of reprodr.otion and sex on the life of the 
on com- individual, the farai],y, and society. ITo other human 
munity functions so stir and aninate our feelings, thought, 
life? relations and conduct. This continue to be true in 

all coramun:* ties, quite independently of the size or 

special interests of the cotTiaunity, Ko comr.iunity is 
so democratic or so exclusive, so intellectual or so frivolous, so 
homogeneous or so cosmopolitan that reproduction, sex and the 
health of the home are not still the most vital factors of its life. 

Range and To be sure, the particular manner and the levels on 
variety \vhich the sex impulses express themselves in a community 
of the may differ as much as light from darkness. They may 
manifesta- express themselves on the lov/est planes of individual 
tions of indulgence and dehauchery, or they may be highly sensi- 
sex tive to and be used in the service of the highest social 
impulses? idealism. They have part in the normal physical develop- 

, ment of youth; they give rise to the exceedingly dangerous 

and difficult venereal diseases; they support prostitution 
and irregular sex relations, or they build homes and families in an 
atmosphere of confidence and loyalty; they give rise to the most in- 
spiring and satisfying emotional states and social relations between 
men and v/oraen, or they produce repressions, tensions, complexes, 
neuroses and insanities. The sex and reproductive motives find ex- 
pression in and connection with every aspect and interest of human 
life,- physical, emotional, intellectual, esthetic, social, economic, 
eugenic, ethical, moral and religious. This does not mean that sex 
is the only factor in any of these human interests but that is has 
a really vital connection with all of them, and these various con- 
nections determine whether the sex life of the individual or of the 
community will be gTOss and uncontrolled or. will be constriictive 
and social. 

How is Too often V7hen we use the word sex we think only in 
this terms of certain more common forms of reasonably m2.ture 
range sex relations and expressions o as a matter of fact, we 
related can never use sex advan tage tus ly for education until 
to age? vve appreciate in what remarkable and cradei v/ay sex 

normally influences the whole life aiid dev-ilopment of 

young people at different ages. '7e cannot go into 
great detail here, hut the following will serve to illustrate the 
point. Before birth the internal sex cells produce the initial 
differences between the bodies and the uiinds of boys and girls. 
Sex makes the differences in the emotions ^/hich an infant boy or 
girls feels for the father and for the mother. It is sex which 
makes boys like boys and girls fond of girls, before puberty. Sex 
causes the changes from boyhood to naanhood and from girlhood to 
womanhood. Sex accounts for the development of love, courtsliip, 
chivalry, marriage, devotion of mates, and all the fineness of 



10. 



hone and family life. From conception to maturity sex is con- 
tinually malting a definite contriTbution to all the individual 
quali-cies and social relations of hiinan beings en all levels from 
the most physical to the most spiritual and social. 

In the light of all this variety of the work of sex upon 
the individual, our problem is to find \7ays to insure that at every 
stage 5, -before birth, in the earl^ home years, in childhood, at 
puberty, during adolescence, in preparation for marriage and home- 
naMng, in parenthood itself, - the sex of each individual Bh'ill 
make the best contribution -.vhich it can make to conduct, to develop- 
nent, and to character. "v7e must meet the normal grov7th and urges 
of sex timely, appropriately, satisfyingly, constructively, educa- 
tively, appreciatively, -and ^vith a long look ahead. Our purpose 
is to see that these powerful inner energies and alluring outer 
oportunities shall not mislead our inexperienced young people. 
It is to put all the resources of science, love, experience, peda- 
gogy and religion in the most persuasive and convincing r/ay possible 
at the service of our children from the beginning, leaving nothing 
to chance. 

"hose is It must be quite clear v/hy r;e are insisting that this 
this problem belongs to no one agency or period of life; 
problem? wny it is an all-communj ty problem thro ugho ut ipdiyi- 

j: dual li fe. Ho community can be in a condition of health 

in \7hich the meanings of sex are ignorantly and grossly 
conceived by any considerable part of the population, lio other group 
of forces can so fully degrade or elevate the community as sex can. 
On the other hand, there is no single agency within the community 
^7hich can touch the child at all the points at whiah it needs sex 
guidance. The home, the church, the schools, industries, the 
street, the various organized and unorganized social agencies for 
recreation, hobbies, play, health, and for the physical, moral and 
ethical culture of children, all together , must cooperate because 
all are dealing in one way or another, directly or indirectly ^ 
with this powerful life-function, -whether they purpose it or not. 
it is essential that these various community agencies shall under- 
stand this and shall not work at cross purposes and produce con- 
flicting currents of ideas and attitudes about sex in the mind of 
the child. It is not enough that each of such agencies should 
be interested and active from its own special point of view alone. 
All must do their v/ork with full understanding of, and sympathy 
for, the wnole community purpose and v:liat every other agency is 
trying to do. 

Purtherm.ore , no one of these instrumentalities, not even 
the home, is inclusive enough even if it were sufficiently equipped, 
to do all the work of using the sex nature for character education. 
The sex guidance must be as broad and varied as is the part which sex 
plays in life. Just because sex touches health, normal develop- 
ment, family happiness, street gossip, literature, nature study and 
science, the stage, the movies, youthful amusements and companionship 
music, art, morals, ethics, and religion, social diseases and sani- 
tation, manly ambitions j eugenics and posterity, no one agency or 
point of view can meet the needs of youth. The home and parents, 
the family physician, the favorite uncle or aunt, the physical 



11' 

director, the Sunday school teacher, the scout leader, the pastor, 
the teacher of physiology, of hiology, of psychology, of sociology, 
of literature, the employer, - all v;ho love or use or serve youth 
must bring each his particular part of interpretation and guidance. 

\7hat are It is necessary to insist on this fimdaraental point 
some of hecause nany people still feel that the parents can 
the readily do all that is necessary "by a fev/ words of advice 
peculiar at critical stages of the child's life; or that the 
strengths father can take the boy around to the fanily physician 
of these? and have him explain the essential mysteries of repro- 

duction and sex in a wholly scientific way; or that the 

pastor or priest can give a merely moral and religious 
appeal that will serve to guide the boy or girl through the jungle 
of sex desires and temptations. And so on through the 13 st. Nov? 
two things are perfectly clear fron the the mere mention of all 
these people. Everyone of them has some point of ad vantage ,jn 
helping the child; and equally ever yone has lim itation s w hich make 
it impossible for him to do all that should be. do ne. This merely 
shows that they must help one another in the taski 

Parents It may be worth our -while to examine briefly some of the 

strengths and the limitations of these various agencies. 

The home is the very best possible place, and the parents 
ought to be the very people to give all the necessary early instruc- 
tion and training in sex and other character-forming elements. The 
relations are so intimate and continuous and the opportunities are 
so natural, that it ought to be very easy for parents to build up 
in the child the very best possible attitude tov/ard the part which 
sex plays in mailing mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters, home 
and family life, and all the fine joys and privileges that belong 
to these. But in spite of all this, it remains true that not two 
percent of our parents today feel themselves able to do even the 
simple things that ought to be done before the child starts to 
school. For one tiling, parents do not have an attitude that enables 
them to handle the facts without being embarrassed, - and this is 
fatal. The great majority do not knov; the facts except in the 
crudest way. They do not understand the pedagogy of character- 
formation so that they can use the facts effectively. Often the 
parents are not living sufficiently fine, happy, mutually considerate 
home lives to mal© what they say convincing to their children. 
They cannot always cite the home in which the child lives as really 
ideal and satisfying. They may even not understand that their 
home life is not the best possible, or why. This too is a fatal 
handicap, 

Physi- So far as the facts of anatomy, physiology, and the 
cians diseases are concerned, the physicians are scientifically 
equipped. They are in a position of great possible 

■ intimacy with xhe older and younger meml^ers Oj: the 

family. The preparation demanddd of them ought to equip them with 
more than the average intelligence and influence in their communi- 
ties. All these facts put the efficient family physician in a 
place where he can be a real leader in serving the young people 
of those families. Unf o>-tunately, he is taup-ht, ir. his medical 



12. 



education, very little -of the fundamental "biology, psychology and 
sociology of sex. Ho is inclined to over-unpliasize the matter of 
perversions and sex diseases. Ordinarily he knorrs no more of how 
to use the sex situation for constructive character fiormation than 
the parents who do not have his scientific training. Furthermore, 
he raay have lost completely in his scientific and special education 
a social and idealistic point of viev/ v;hich alone can furnish the 
motives for the emotional, spiritual, and moral aspects of sex 
education. 

The The religious teachers and leaders have this very 
church attitude of social and religious idealism which the pre- 
and the paration of the phjrsician lacks. They, by profession, 
clergy. are disposed to emphasize just the character elements 

which the physician is tempted to minimize. On the 

other hand, a great many of our religious workers, in 
emphasizing the emotional and spiritual elements in life, - which 
we have not yet been able to analyze and treat scientifically,- 
have been tempted to depend on broad moral generalities in handling 
these problems, and to decry what science we have. They are dis- 
posed to say that the religious motive, and it alone - can solve 
the sex problems and the making of character; that supernatural aid 
and it alone can .meet our needs here. Unfortunately, the develop- 
ment of practical character and behavior is not so simple as this 
would seem. The scientific physician, v;ho minimizes the emotional 
elements win life, and the clergyman, ^'ho in his idealism cares 
little what science says, each lacks what the other has; and the 
lack is a vital one. Each needs the other. Only a combination of 
the best science we have with full social and moral idealisui and 
purpose can meet the situation . 

School There is an increasing number of people who say that ifi 
teachers is hopeless to expect parents or cler,sy:-ien or physicians 
■ to shov- the intelligence and breadth and balance and 
skill - and mutual toleration - necessary to make sex 
minister to positive hixran development and relations by using it 
as an educational agent and motive. These people say that our 
only hope of sanely including sex in character education in such a 
way as to produce right attitudes is to incorporate it into the 
schools. Perhaps the teacher does include in one person, more 
nearly than any other in humn society, the point of view of the 
parent; of the man of science, and tlie teacher of morals and 
religion. Furthermore, the teacher is dealing, in the education 
of the child, with certain great groups of facts and human inter- 
pretation of these, which are full of reproduction and sex,- such 
as nature study, biology, social studies, physiology and hygiene; 
psyhhology, ethics, literature. It is possible to use these in 
such a v;av as to build up the sex appreciations and ideals of the 
child effectively. Moreover, the teachers next to the parents 
have long and intimate personal contacts with the children. 



13. 

However, the average teacher at present is as poorly informed, 
about sex cacL the possibility of including it naturally and in- 
conspicuously in the school subjects as the parent or the 
clergyman* 2he teacher too handles children in large and rai:red 
groups* All of us, children and adults alilce, are still too self- 
conscious about sex for this to be ssifely handled, directly, in 
groups below college and high school classes at best. Sb be sure 
teachers anywhere me^ do much indirect character education which 
\7xll aid the sex mastery of young people, \7ithout doubt teachers 
of ail grades must ultimately be prepared to tai^e a large part 
in this community task. 

Employers Increasingly, young people are going into gainful 

of employments before they are sexually mature and settled 

young in character, 2his means the arrest of organized 

people education both of mind end chajracter before such guidance 

. should end. It means increase of personal independence 

before character is sufficiently formed to be dependable. 
It means bringing closely together those of very diverse sexual 
ideals and attitudes under conditions which tend to encourage the 
freer, looser and more gross ideals. It makes it probable that 
the shorter hours that can be given to recreation and amusement 
will be more highly colored and exciting sjid adventurous, l&der 
these conditions, it is clear that employers have an oportunity 
end a responsibility for helping their young people find wise sex 
relations, which compares in humanity end in importance to acci- 
dent insurance and unemployment insurance. And it is not merely 
a matter of humanity. Venereal diseases, just as other illness, 
mokes for inefficiency and loss; but even more, loose sex standards, 
uncontrolled sex life, excesses and indulgence, quite apart from 
the diseases they bring, break down health and character and re- 
liability. Employers are in a position to aid not merely in cam- 
paigns against the venereal diseases, but in tactful and democratic 
ways to help build up sound sex ideals, attitudes, and behavior, 

She Of recent years, we have developed a large niunber of 

agencies instrumentalities, both comjnercial and philanthropic, 

of which seels, to amuse, entertain, interest, recreate 

social people and to help them employ more or less profitably 

recrea- their extra time. Shere is considerable truth in the 

tion and- idea that sex abuses and unsocial sex attitudes and 
leader- behavior are peculiarly likely to be indulged in 

ship. connection with recreation. 2he wise constructive use 

of leisure, so that it will contribute wholesomely and 

with the greatest variety to the zest, love of adven- 
ture, use of surplus emotion and energy, amusement, spirit of 
play, special types of hobbies and cultural interests, is one of 
the most important among the services v/hich organized society 
should render youth. iOie Christian Associations, Scouts , Clubs , 
community play, and all the commercial shov;s, movies, and many 
other agencies help or may help with this. It is clear that these 
indirectly affect sex behavior by draining away into other channels 
energy and time which would normally go to sex; or directly, as in 
the case of theaters and m.ovies by the particular sex interpre- 
tations and incitements v;hich they offer. Obviously the character 
formation of oui •■:.">u.a xn -ospect to sex cannot be left solely to 
such agencies as these; nevertheless we must more and more find 



14, 

ways to develop these noveraents and to see that they not only do 
not pervert the sex ideals of youth, tut that they do give positive, 
social and healthy sex attitudes. The task of forcing the moving 
picture profiteers to serve character rather than to exploit sex 
vulgarity is both urgent and difficult. Many think this to be one 
of the most important agencies of sex education in the coramunity,- 
for evil or for good* 

VJhy do- We return then 'with rene\7ed certainty, beacuse of the 
ordination natural linitations of all these social agencies v;hich 
is necessr may, and do, influence the Hex education of youth, to 
sary? the statement that there nust be a very vital co- 

ordination of these various agencies into a community 

point of view ; and equally that there must be a corrjnunity 
consciousness that makes maximum demands upon every one of these 
agencies for subh cooperation. Doing this is one of the very first 
problems V7hich an interested community must solve. This means more 
than dividing up the work to different groups in terms of their 
special capacities and points of view, It means before this is dene 
that the point of view of all agencies must be broadendd to take in 
the v.'hole essential ideal, It is more tian cooperation; it is a 
unified purpose v/hich gives a definite place in the whole pliin to 
every cooperating agency in accordance v;ith its peculiar fitness, 

V/hat ^his coordinated community ideal of sex-character educa- 
elements ^^°^ includes spirit, matter and method. The spirit must 

enter mto and religious leaders. The spirit is idealistic, 
this CO- ethical, social. The matter on the contrary is in the 
ordinated domain of science, It embraces the facts of life and 
point of relations. Not the distorted facts of perversion and 
^ disease, merely; but the full basic meaning of sex in 

moulding the life of the individual and society,- the 

emotional meanings as really as the physiological. The matter is 
in the sciences of biology, psychology, sociolog:,' and ethics. In 
the average community the scientific physicians and teachers best 
have in hand the materials. The method of sex education is that of 
the educator. It is the method of information, interpretation, 
appreciation. It is not didactic and autocratic; it is rather per- 
suasive and democratic- It includes instruction, interpretation, 
example, observation, and reasoning. These three things must 
animate the whole enterprise; the best knov;ledge and diagnosis of 
the scientist, the most humane spirit of the social and religious 
leader, and the democratic methods of the great teacher. These 
coordinated v/ill win. To omit either is fatal. 

Even We have seen that the real core of social hygiene is the 

though preservation and improvement of the home. This is the 

sex edu- basis sex institution in society, as well as the basic 

cation is institution for character-education in the individual. 

a communi- It alone deals with the child in those first years during 

ty enter- v/hich the foundations of pcersonal character are set. 

prise, the Because of these facts the whole of the later education 

Kom e is a-.d life of tlii child will le uifli.cent at> the child 

!&sn tral has or has not be'.-n given wh,»lesome attitudes during 

y-a it. these first six or eight years. This is as true of ths 



15, 



sex elements in attitude and character as in any other. In the 
following years of course the general co;-n;junity plays an increasing 
part in the sex education of the child; but siiice these first years 
condition what the co.-nr.iunitj'- can do for the boys and girls later, 
a first necessity in sex education is that every c OPDuhi ty agency 
focus renev/ed a^ctention upon parents and horaes . Anything which 
can bo done to fit parents to make good homes and to interpret the 
essential facts and spirit of these to their children is a lasting 
self -perpetuating comriunity gain. 

Diagram V/e are now ready to put these conaunity agencies in 

their places of influence in relation to sex education. 

The ho'ne of course is always central. About it are 
grouped three essential influences which are most close to it,- 
the church, the school and the health agencies. Other special 
agencies are able to supplement or aid these v;here they are v;ealc. 
The follov/ing diagram will serve to illustrate this, 



The Church j 

and I 

Church I 

Schools ! 




The Home and Parents 



\ 



The Child 



The Schools and Teachers 



Physicians 
and 
other 
Health 

Agencies 



/ \ 



Other recreative, protective, social, educative, 
economic, moral, and religious agencies. 



"hat 
then is 
the 
first 

Boram-onity 
task in 
such a 
movement? 



tiSsuming that such a general coordination of community 
agencies can be secured, the first task to be under- 
taken is to educate a body of adults into an under- 
standing and appreciation of sex-social problems. This 
is necessary because most adults, through the reticence 
of the generations just back of us, are not able offhand 
to deal wisely or effectively with the sex problems of 
children and young people. They lack knowledge of the 

facts of sex, and of the nature of children, and of 

teaching methods. They have, for the most part, a false 

emotional attitude toward the whole natter. They are afraid and 

embarrassed. 



Under the present conditions sex education of adults 
means self -education. This cannot be done solely by an occasional 
(and often irp^T.petent ai:c. self "doekin£') ".ec^-:rer . r ,m ^11- outside. 
There is no machinery whereby the adults in our average communities 



16, 
can have authoritative courses of study. This means that each 
community aust educate within itself a "body of adult leaders who 
can in turn {juide other groups of adults. This will require 
reading, study, and discussion. By v/ise management, in a fev; 
years a strong body of adult leadership can be built up equal to 
the needs of any community. (See also Chapter III), About this 
adult education there is this comforting fact; there is no element 
of danger in it, as there may be in presenting the matter to children. 

\7hat is ThiB prepar&tinn of the adults to do what they should 
the have been doing all along is just preliminary to the 
second essential purpose. This purpose is - the training by 
community the community of the yovmg of all ages and conditions 
task? in respect to all such aspects of their sex life and 
^ attitudes as are appropriate to their stages of develop- 
ment, and by those agencies v/nich are best able to do 
each part of this training and to do it most helpfully. Such help 
to children must not be determined by the mere lcind=heartedness 
of any person or agency. This is a point at ^7hich the com.munity 
spirit and v/isdora must focus. The task and rate of progress in 
giving this instruction to the young must not be left to chance and 
whim; but must be the outcome of the joint wisdom of the community. 
If the school grades below the high school should be asked to do 
something, this should be the outcome of the co-rimunity judgment. 
It should not be controlled from the outside, nor by the school 
people alone. In the same v;ay each agency should thus be stimulated 
by the coordinated community wisdom to determine its part in the 
enterprise and to perform it intelligently as its contribution to 
the full movement. 

Must not Sex is not an afterthought;- a separate and unique 
be over- incident in life,- although our reserve on the subject 
empha- has almost made it seem so. It is deeply imbedded in 
sized. all life. So it must be in education. Sex must not be 

separated in the home from those incidents which reveal 

Its true nature and value. So in the school or churdii 
it ought to be fitted in just as fully and naturally and incon- 
spicuously as possible into the whole scheme and natter of education, 
\Ve don't want to over-emphasize it, as may easily be done, either 
by neglect, by too much stress, by making its material stand out to 
itself, nor by intrusting it to frealdsh agencies. Just as the 
community agencies must be coordinated because they all meet and 
are affected by the sex motiires in some form or other, so sex 
education must be fully coordinated v;ith all those aspects of 
knowledge and character to which it is naturally allied. 

Sex is naturally allied to physical growth and health, 
to play and recreation, to art and music and beauty, to intellectual 
development and ambitions, to emotional life and tastes, to social 
relations and v.-elfare, to literature, to duty, to mastery, and to 
philosophy and religion. The right use of sex for character educa- 
tion must imbed it deeply and naturally within all these interests. 
Thus, and only so, is full health of the individual, the home and 
society to be hoped for. 



17. 



Chapter III, A Preotical Worlelng Erogram for the n oimunity. 



IVhat V/hen we say that social hygiene and sex education is 
does a problem for the community, you will realize from the 
doordina- preceding chapter that we do not mean that it is the 
tion - . woric of the political officials, nor that the various 
involve? agencies,- as the home, the school, the church, 

Christian associations, men's and v/oraen's clubs, 

medical associations, leaders of industry, social 
organizations v/orking directly v/ith boys and girls, etc, must not 
all do their full in dividual part of the work. It means that none 
of these agencies can alone do more than a part of the work. Even 
more it means that all their points of view must be harmonized into 
one joint approach, so that each may work with full tinderstanding 
both of its own powers and limitations and of the purposes and 
plans of all others. It means further that all agencies recognize 
fully their obligations to the community itself. 

With what Corollary to this also, the ordinary community is not 

attitude called upon to organize nev/ societies through which to 

should operate in sex education, A special joint committee, 

the com- representing the ordinary social and educational agen- 

munity cies, to unify, coordinate, inform, inspire, and guide 

approach the hurra,n forces already in the field is all that is 

the task? necessary. 

Furthermore, it is essential that no agency nor the 
community as a whole should think of community sex education as a 
"stunt" or a "campaign". It will need to continue as long as human 
sex impulses last, as long as homes are important, as long as our 
education is necessary or carries any hope. It is not a mere 
temporary "reform movement". It must be continuous, must be in- 
corporated as a permanent and graded part of all our efforts to 
give our children constructive views of life and character. V/e 
cannot measxire the possibilities of permanent progress of the 
community as a xvhole in less than a human generation or two. This 
does not at all imply however that we may not find special fruits 
of our work in individual lives, in families and in social agencies 
much earlier. 



What is 
the 

guiding 
princi- 
ple? 

And what 
are the 
community 
object- 
ives? 



Every practical step must be guided by the basic prin- 
ciple of all social hygiene education'! This principle 
is that the home is the central point in eve ry r ^roblem 
of sex-soci al health ; and therefore the hea£t of the 
whole enterprise is to encourage, preserve and to 
perfect the home as the chief agency of human propagation 
and character education. Put into concrete terms, the 
objectives of the community in social hygiene education are;- 

1, To use every suitable agency to fit the homes and the 
parents to do what they ought to do in the way of sound sex 
and character education for their young ]':L,ple« 



18. 

2. To supplement and extend this natural educational v;ork of 
the parents for the children v.'herever it is possible and necessary; and 

to do this by the particular agencies raost suitable at the various stages. 

3. To supply, through educational, medical, legislative and 
law enforcement measures, a general social environment which will not 
continually and normally undo all our best character education, but on the 
other hand vail support and reinforce the best training we can give. 

Summary Tlie definite tasks before any community v/hich would consciously 

of the and purposefully bring its strength to bear on these problems of 

special social health are about as follows:- 

practical 

taste. 1, To find and to convince a small body of local men and women, 

representing all the various social, agencies, who are capable of 

becoming responsible and effective leaders in social hygiene 
education and activity for the community, 

2. To prepare and equip these leaders both in respect to the 
general problems and methods of sex education and in the special aad local 
elements which must be reckoned with. This latter includes a simple and 
limited survey and study of the local conditions and difficulties, as well 
as of the special resources and aids in the way of individuals and agencies 
which can be used for educational work, as well as for all the legal, medi- 
cal, and politial steps that may be necessary. 

3. ThroUi-h these loaders to educate (gradually, by suitable 
popular methods, the general public opinion with respect to the home, 

its importance, the forces that are working against it, the need of better ■ 
parents,- and how to get them. 

4. By means of these loaders also to educate carefully and in- 
tensively a considerable body of adults in the scientific facts of sex 
and in the metxiods of instruction, and in the disposition to apply these 
facts to community life. These adults should include a considerable nvimber 
of intelligent parents and of leading people from all the social, educa- 
tional, legal, medical and recreational agencies, that are interested in 
sound community life and which must ulti:nateiy serve the cosnmunity in ' 
sex and character education. 

5. Finally, to discover and very gradually to ^^ide and con- 
tinually inspire those agencies that can wholesomely and effeotiv.ely take 
part in the actual education of the children and young people or in the 
improvement of their environment. All this should be done in the most 
open-minded and experimental \7ay. 

How may Probably the details of such a cominunity venture can best be 
a com- worked out as a series of p ractical pro.iects . Clearly there 
munity can be nothing absolutely final or binding in these suggestions, 
approach Much will depend upon the state of development of each indivi- 
the dual community; upion its resources and its difficulties. Each 
problem com-munity may therefore need to make some adaptation of the 
hope- plans outlined below. We feel however there are certain 
fully? essentials that must be observed and that --"moit ar^-- ordinary 

■^ormoiiit;, hj^ii , ir properly guided, uotn heart and intelligence 

enough to revolutionize public opinion about sex in a genera- 
tion, and to create an atmosphere and surroundings in which young people 
can come to make their new homes clean and sane. To do this at least a 



19« 

few people ipust get an intense coimciousness both of the sex problems 
of the community and of its resoiirces, and miist work continuously and 
intelligently to f";et the best solution of these problems. 

Pro.iect It There are two elements which must be taken care of in 
To initiate beginning a social hygiene educational m.overaent in a com- 
the move - munity: (11 securing a responsible leadership, and (2) 
ment ; arousing public consciousness in the matter* This can best 
be done by a brief series of conferences. 



First Some local agency or person, enjoying full confidence of the 
Confer- community as public minded and not self-seeldng, may'bring 
ence, together selected representatives of all the leading community 
organizations actively interested in social health and pro- 
gress:- as, schools, churches, Y. M, C. A,, Y. V/. C. L, , 
Y. M. H. A., Medical Society, Board of Health, Parent's Associations, Red 
Cross, Nurses Association, Boy and Girl Scouts, and other commercial, 
industrial, and social clubs that do or ought to interest themselves in 
any r/av about young people. For this first conference an authoritative 
and sane speaker on social hygiene education should be secured. He should 
be a person v;ho understands the constructive educational and social bear- 
ings of sex, and is able to give wise and flexible leadership in helping 
to work out a suitable local program. This first conference should be 
devoted to a full discussion of the aims, principles, spirit and method of 
such education. Any further steps should depend upon the real convictions 
of this representative group, ^xt the close of this conference a temporary 
steering committee should be appointed from those present to prepare for a 
second series of conferences to bring the problem vividly before the 
communi ty . 

Second ■ ^^® next conference?, a few weeks later, should be very care- 
series fully arranged. The purpose of these meetings is to extend 
of con- the spirit of the first conference to a much larger representa- 
ferences. tion of the various special groups and to adjust the appeal to 
these groups so as to convince them and to enable them to co- 
operate effectively in the whole enterprise. To do this 
effectively each interest should be addressed separately. The giuaups for 
v/hich these special conferences should be arranged are: ministerial associa- 
tions; teachers; librarians; parent-teachers associations; medical society; 
nurses; religious teachers and workers; social workers v;ith boys and girls, 
young men and women; some of the commercial or industrial leaders, as in 
the luncheon clubs; and various groups of parents. Special effort should 
be made at these meetings to get together such persons in these various 
groups as will be able later to furnish leadership, both of intelligence 
and spirit, in whatever the community may decide to do. O.ualitv at this 
stage is more important than numbers : though both should be sought. 

At these group meetings the speaker will restate the aims and 
spirit QDd method of sex education, and suggest the normal place which 
the particular group can take to make the greatest contribution to the 
whole community undertaking. 



20. 



From tliose who have attended the first and second series of 
conferences should he secured as many many persons as possible whose 
intelligence, spirit, and interest \7ould make it possible for then 
to be prepared as actual conmunity leaders in social hygiene education. 
This selection should be most thoughtfully made. Toward the close of 
the conferences this picked body of proepective leaders, v/ho should 
be as widely representative as possible, should meet and receive, 
develop, and decide upon the next steps. Out cf this final conference, 
which should bo thoroughly representative, should come a "permanent 
cominitte^ for the development of a social hygiene program in the 
community. The particular method of naming this committee is not 
essential. It should not be large enough to be unv/ieldy. It sliould 
be chosen v/ith an eye to energy, ability, influence, genuine interest; 
should represent both sexes as v/ell as the main social agencies \7hose 
aid must be sought and it should include men and women some of v/liom . 
are qualified to guide education and other environmental control 
measures, when nam.ed it should be presented to, and receive the formal 
acceptance and endorsement of a large enough representation of the 
citizens of the community to be able always to appeal to the community 
with confidence. When there are in the community large bodies of people 
who oppose sex education from religious or other reasons, it is a good 
plan to include some openminded representatives of such groups, if they 
v/ill allow it, in these preliminary steps and even in the permanent 
committee. Quite frequently the objection disappears when the program 
is fully understood. The practical wisdom of this suggestion will 
depend on local conditions. 

Pro.iect 2 : The next step of the intensive preparation of such a small 
To nre - body of selected community leaders is not at all spectacular, 
pare com - and it demands time, energy and devotion on the part of a 
auni ty few people, including the permanent committee. Inasmuch as 
leaders fev; communities have teachers already prepared to give 

training to these prospective leaders, and as no outside 

agencies can no'vv furnish them, the only waj'' open to us at 
present is to perfect a suitable method of self-preparation of leaders. 
For this purpose each coramimity must of course adopt machinery most 
suitable to its ovm conditions. On the vhole, the most workable device 
is to organize "study and discussion groups" under the general guidance 
of the best local leaders that can be obtained. One such discussion 
group should not include more than tw£ Ire to fifteen people. As many 
gDuups should be formed, as are needed to provide for those who seem 
promising and are willing to undertake the study. Ten or twelve meetings 
of one and one-half to two hours in length, with study between times, 
would be sufficient to enable such a class to get a fairly full view of 
the chiefphases of the social hygiene problem as it relates to the . 
individual and community. Literature for the use of such study groups 
is now provided in several recent books. This book is intended for 
this purpose. If no teachers or physicians or social workers are found 
who fsel willing to take charge of these groups and to study out 
the problems khead of the class, and thus to lead the discussions, the 
group can move along together, taking turns in conducting the discussion, 
-X good comiTianding leader is desirable, but is not essential to a success- 
ful class. The permanent comi-nittet; should itself be the first group to 
prepare itseix to grasp the full scope of the movement, and should form 
or be included in the pioneer discussion class. To do so will enable it 
much more effectively to guide the organization of later classes, and 
possibly to furnish leaders for them. 



21, 

Pro.iect 3 ; AS soon as euch a, group of leaders, representing all the 
General more important social agencies in the community, has become 
education prepared to guide the thinking of the rest of the community, 
of adults there should begin a broadening campaign of adult prepara -. 
•in the tion in matters of social hygien and sex education. This 
community movement should now become more comprehensive and varied, and 

. be adjusted to the capacities and interests of several classes 

of adults. This general adult education may very v.-ell take 
the following among other forms-:- 

1» The further extension of group study and discussion led 
by those v/ho have already followed successfully the course of discussions 
and readings in the first class. Such groups may be either miscellaneous 
in representation, as the original groups were; or better, in some cases, 
a special gmup may be formed wholly of teachers, or of religious workers 
or social workers, from parent-teachers associations, or of parents only,' 
The teacher training class in a Sunday School could well be used for 
this purpose for a period. There are advantages in each of these methods. 
Both may be effectively used, side by side. It will be found that the 
value of several hundred leading people thus broadly informed about social 
hygiene ^vjll be very great in the further development of the movement . 

2. The organizing of reading and home-study-circles for 
those v;ho cannot give the time to attend the discussion groups. This may 
be done through the Federation of Women's Clubs, the 17. C. T. U. , the 
Parent-Teachers' Associations, the Home department of Sunday schools, and 
many similar groups, provided a healthy public appreciation of the 
character and purposes of the movement has already been aroused. These 
home study groups could be brought together occasionally to hear a 
speech covering the field of their readings. 

3. Arousing and organizing general public opinion by courses 
of lectures for adults, by films, and such other popular means as seem 
suitable. This should be closely connected with the reading circle and 
home study work. 

Pro,1ect 4 ; xilongside tlas project of building up as many as possible 
To induce • intelligent adult coraiTiunity leaders and sympathizers with 
the the work, th.re should be a definite pressure brought to 
special bear upon the various community agencies to get them willing 
social and prepared to use their machinery, first to bring their 
agencies own membership to understand and to fit themselves for the 
to organ- movement, and second, to begin to for:ard the v/ork of each 
ize their v/ithin its ovm field as openings may occur. This will 
activities, involve special conferences of the community leaders with 
clergymen, Sunday School v;orkers, physicians, civil authori- 
ties, representatives of the press, employers, teachers, 
nurses, scout master, club loaders, and the like, as to v;hat each of 
these can properly do and how they may best do the desirable things. 
In all such experimental \indertakings too much should not be asked at 
the outset. Beginnings should be made at the easiest, most obvious 
places. For example, in the church schools a special class of parents 
could be formed v/ith little difficulty for the study of these subjects. . 
Then possibly a class of y?ung men or women of marr^Pi': a">".2e age might 
studj the conaitions which make marriage successful. If these can be 
made effective, the work will gradually extend itself. 



2Z, 

P ro.lect 5 ; Of course in all this v.-otk; we have been reaching certain 
Definite, intelligent par&nts. It remains, however, one of the most 
combined important features of auult social hygiene education to 
efforts organize a deliber;.ite campaign of education for as many 
to help mothers and fathers of young children as can be enlisted, 
parents. This 'may be done by combining class v/ork, private readings, 

addresses. The agencies that can be used to do this v/ork 

for parents with particular effectiveness, are, - family 
physicians, visiting nurses, .maternity hospitals, the Christian 
Associations,: clergymen and Sunday Schools. v;omen's clubs, parent- 
teachers associations, the press, and perhaps library or other neighbor- 
hood organizations. Numerous opportunities of cooperation among these 
agencies'" will arize in this stage of the work. Anything sane and con- 
structive which can be done for parents in this field is of the greatest 
value in social hygiene, and cannot possibly have any harmful reaction. 

Pro.lect 6 ; a11 that has be^-n suggested thus far is only introductory 
Community to the real task of aiding the young people themselves, 
education Nevertheless this preliminary education of adults is essen- 
of the tial, if vje are really looking for permanent results in 
young in education for social health and character. Outsiders, however 
social ■ expert, cannot greatly help the youth of any coraiiunity in 
hygiene, respect to sex attitudes. The well-wishing friends in the 

, community can be of little help to them if they do not know 

what to do and how to do it. There can be no danger in 
the instruction of adults. It is a much more difficult and uncertain 
matter, hovvever, to train children. And yet it is quite clear that we 
must do better by our children than society did by us of this genera- 
tion, if wo are to have any improvement of home a^id family life. Further- 
more, it cloesn't stand to reason that our parents and teachers and 
physicians and religious leaders cannot give our children a better in- 
troduction to sex than they are nov.' getting by secret methods' and v/ith 
degrading association. Many parents and teacfeers have shovm that good 
results in character and life can be obtained by teaching young people 
about sex. 

V/e got our set in respect to sex, as in other elements in 
character, long before maturity. Unless \'c had help in getting the 
right personal sttittides toward sex in our youth, the best we can do is 
to devote ourselves to making a better way for the neii? generation, both 
by cleaning up the environment we have created and by rightly training 
the young people themselves to resist a bad environment and to use a 
better one. 

The project of right sex education of youn;; people calls for 
a B-cientific knowledge both of sex and of the mind of children; it calls 
also for the spirit of sympathy and love; equally it calls for a ^ethod 
and technic that is sane and convincing to youth itself. Our jghvsi clans, 
and ed ucators must give us the facts and the science that are essential; 
the spirit is that which belongs to the T^runt and the religious, guide; 
the right methods must be furnished by the teacher of real insight. 
All these must therefore v/ork closely and cooperatively, and the rust of 
us must follow their lead. 



23. 

Pro,1eGt3 It is not exactly the province of this manual to discuss 
relating in detail the somewhat technical problems included in 
to the giving our children a wholesome sex environment in which 
environ - to grow. This is the special work of highly trained men 
ment. and women who have specialized in law and its enforcement, 

in government, in medicine, in public health and sanitation, 

in psychopathology, in delinquency, in guiding the use of 
leisure, and similar subjects. Nevertheless the work to be done by 
these specialists in controlling and preventirg unsocial sex behavior and 
the diseases and other ill effects that arise from it must be a part of 
our all-community program; and there must be such education of the 
general public about those things as v;ill insure the greatest community 
support for such preventive, repressive, or curative meaBures as these 
.workers can employ. These v/orkers can rarely go faster than their 
communities will follow. There are people who, for their own purposes, 
scoff at all such social movements as "reformB^?, "uplifts", and the 
like. Against all such it is necessary to insist that all human ad- 
vancement toward more scientific and humane living implies just such 
reforms of ancient practise. The education of the individuals and the 
improvement of his social surroundings must go hand in hand. Part IV. 
of this manual deals more at length with the environmental elements. 

What If we may assume that there is by this time a fair conviction 
should of both the need and the hopefulness of sex education; that 
each of there is a body of two hundred or three hundred widely re- 
the presentative people who have studied with some care the 
various individual and social problems of sex, as well as the 
agencies practical pedagogy of the subject; that a much larger body 
do and of people are sympathetic and beginning to be informed; that 
how? the various special social v/orking groups are conscious of 

their responsibilities and are willing to try to find and do 

their part in a cooperative movement for personal education 
and for clearing up the environment, - we still have the difficult task 
of deciding just what use can be made of each of these agencies. It may 
easily be true that any one of them might do more harm than good if it 
should do its wor.k in a wrong or untimely v;ay. The further analysis of 
this problem will be reserved for the last chapter of Part III, after 
we have discussel the scientific elements of sex and social hygiene, 
and have outlined some of the facts and the methods of teaching suitable 
to different ages of childhood and youth. 

Broadly it is for the aroused community to convince each 
agency that it should help in the solution of these problems. If is 
for the agency itself, working together with the com;.iunity, to determine 
what it is fitted to do and the method of cooperating with other agencies < 
For a brief statement of these relations see also the preceding Chapter. 



24. 

Part II. Sex in Life . 

Chapter I, The Biological Place of Eoproduction and Sex in Life . 



The cycle All plants and animals, including man, come into life small 
of life. and immature. By using* food and in favorable conditions of 

life, they go through a period of rapid growth, which in 

humans v/e call childhood and youth. Afterward they become 
mature. Then for a time in middle life they just about hold their ou-n. 
Gradually they show signs of growing "old", and decline, and later die. 
Clearly if this were the whole story there would be no continuous life 
in the world, and no such thing as a "species" 6r "society" of animals 
or of men. Somev/here and somehow in the cyAle new individuals must be 
produced from the old, if life is to continue . 

The devel- With these small beginnings every organism must have the power 
opment of selecting from the environment and using appropriate foods 
of the andjOf building up these foreign things into his own stuff, 
individual This process is called assimilation or nutrition . This is 

a purely self -building and self-satisfying process. About this 

getting and use of food are developed in animals the striking 
senses of taste and smell, of hunger and thirst, and all the complex powers 
and behavior which enable an animal to select suitable food and be nourished 
thereby. All the bodily and mental activities of the organism are made 
possible by this assimilated food, built up into its ovm substance. 

The origin If this were all of the life process i life could continue only 
of new if the individuals could last forever, perhaps growing larger 
individuals, and larger as time passes. If anythihg should happer to these, 

life would end. As a matter of fact, most organisms cease 

growing after a v/hile. Instead of further individual growth, a 
rather remarkable thing happens. The plant or animal when nearly nature 
changes profoundly in the nature of its behavior. It divides , in one way 
or another, and gives off a portion of itself, which starts a new separate, 
and young individual. This division is called reproduction . 

V/hat is It v;ill be seen at once that reproduction is not like growth; 
the it results from growth, but it is a division of. the parent 
nature ■ individual into two or more individuals. It reduces the indi- 
of repro- vidual. In the simplest living things we knov/, this takes 
duction? place by dividing the parent into two equal, half -si zed 

daughter individuals, which \vithout more ado grow up to the 

full size of the mother. This is so, for example, of bacteria 
and other "germs". After dividing, there is no mother organism I'^-ft. Her 
individual existence is ended, since her whole substance i5 parceled out 
to the daughter cells. In higher plants and animals, reproduction is 'still 
the giving up of a jQ^xt of the substance or income of the parent; but it 
is not so severe a tax. For example, when the yeast cell produces buds, 
of the strawberry plant a runner, or the hen an egg, the parent gets off 
more cheaply and the young do not start life with nearly one -half of the 
parent's original substance; but there is not change in the essential fact 
that reproduction cannot take place except as a division , which is a drain 
on the parent. 



25. • 

The alter- If theu nutrition and growth are self-building and self - 
nation of preserving processes, reproduction is a race-huildin^' and 
these pro- race-preserving? function, always at the expense of the self . 
cesses. It is in no sense self -preservative. Neither self -nutrition 

alone nor race-forming "by self -division alone could give to 

organisms a permanet and progressive life. It is only by 
the alternation of assimilation and growth on one hand and reproduction 
on the other; of emphasis on the individual and emphasis on the species; 
of self -building and self-sacrifice, that organisms have had their 
evolution. The reader will understand that there is no consciousness and no 
inner purpose implied in these terms. 

Sex at Even in some of the single-celled animals and plants, which 
its are as simple forms of life as we have, there is still another 
simplest, interesting addition to what has been described. These one- 

celled, seemingly similar individuals may at certain stages of 

life, attract one another, come together and unite. This union 
is called conjugation . It is a mating, vnd shows sex at its lowest sta^e. 
Higher up in both animals and plants these mating cells become unlilce. One 
of them, the larger, v/e call an egg or female cell. The smaller, v/hich 
usually has power of independent motion, is called a male or sperm cell. 
We also call the individual body in which these cells develop female or 
male. 

Sex and This conjugation of male and female cells is clearly just the 
reproduc- opposite process from that of reproduction. When the mother 
tion. produces the egg and the father the sperm cell, we have repro- 
duction, which as v/e have seen, is always the result of divi - 
sion . By reproduction we have more individuals than before. 
When these individual sex cells unite we have fev/er individuals than we 
had before. The new individual, which is formed by this sex union of two 
cells, however, is potentially a better individual in various ways than 
was either of those individuals which united. These species of organisms 
which just divide v.nd reproduce v;ithout sexual unions never seem to reach 
a very high or complex state of development. The addition of sex md 
mating to reproduction has apparently greatly varied and improved the 
stock of animals, and is seen as the sole metaod in all the higher forms of 
animals. 

Relations It must be clear from what has gone before that there is a 
of parents very real underlying conflict between the selfish processes 
and which build up the individual and those sacrificing processes 
offspring, by which the individual reproduces other individuals and makes 

possible a species. This is shovm in the very set of division 

or reproduction. However this is not the end of the sacrifices 
which parents must make for the species. In addition, for example, to 
producing eggs the female, even among lower animals, adds special food to 
this egg, or may v;ith great painstaking place the egg in positions favorable 
for its development because of temperature or abund.'.nt food. She may, as 
in bees, devise special nests and gather and manufacture peculiarly effec- 
tive foods for the young, .^s in birds, she may incubate the eggs and 
directly feed and care for the young after hatching; or, as in mammals, the 
mother may carry and nourish the young inside her body, and after birth 
produce milk and give special protection -for weeks o- mo:"ths. These forms 
of care and attention are organic, reflex, instinctive, unconscious in 



26. 

very large degree; but hone the less they are as much a part of the 
sacrifices of reproduction as is the original division. It is not 
surprising that powerful emotional states are developed in the parent 
of higher animals in connection with these attentions to the young; or . 
when consciousness arises, that those impulses have a large place in it. 
It is not too much to say that we human teings ov;e whatever we have of 
sympathy, tinself ishness, altruism, v;illingness to sacrifice, very large]^ 
to reproduction and the care of parents for offspring and to the emotional 
life which arose therefrom. No permanent or worthwhile society could be 
built without these qualities. 

Where sex In all these higher animals and in man reproduction and sex, 
and repro- although just as opposite in their nature as they are in the 
duction lower organisms, have become so closely associated that we 
join. really think of them as part of the same thing. For example, 

we combine these ideas when we spealc of ^exual repr odu ction , 

which is the kind seen in all higher aniiTQls, We speak of 
motherhood. Perhaps we are thinking primarily of reproduction. But as a 
matter of fact, the special qualities of the mother are sex qualities; and 
wifehood and mating are just as much implied in her as is reproduction. 
So the human home, in all its relation and with all its v/onderful personal 
and social values, is an inseparable mixture of sex facts and devotions 
with reproductive facts and sacrifices. 

It is important however to remember that the higher animals do 
not recognize and primitive men did not know that there is any connection 
between the instincts and processes of sex and those of reproduction. \!hen. 
mating, they were conscious only of the sex desires and operations and 
emotions. If only these were carried through, reproduction was unconscious- 
ly taken care of. The impulses of reproduction remain unconscious. aT.d 
essentially sacrificing and social and race preserving. Those of sex, 
while also race-preservLp.^g and not in any sense self-preserving, are 
basically self-indulging and self-gratifying. In a certain way as con- 
sciousness came on, the keen, selfish, individual urges and satisfactions 
of sex came to support and motivate the sacrifices and inconveniences of 
reproduction and care of the young. These sex processes are in all species 
the start of a chain-series of impulses, instincts and operations which 
serve to preserve and build up the species. 

How and V/e have already noticed that the life of a new individual 
where sex animal or human being starts when the _sji.erm cell, furnished 
in the by a male, unites vdth an er.R cell, supplie^d by a female, 
individual This union is called fertilization. Apparen-'ily in the higher 
begins? animals the sex of this new individual is de berraineci at the 

time of fertilization. In other words it inherjj^s its sex 

tendencies along with numerous other natural qualities. It 
has been clearly shown in many animals, and it is doubtless eqiially true 
of Tian, that the primary sex cells of this new ind.lvidual are very early 
put aside v;ithin the developing 'oody, before any other tisues are 
apecialized and before the body itself shows whether it is going to be 
a male body or a female body. In other words one of the earliest 
differentiations is betweiin the primary sox-reprcductire cells, on one 
hand, and the body cells, which will one day bo the "marcnt" of these 
cells^ 



27. 

The sex \7e usually think of the body as developing male or feraale 
cells and qualities for some mysterious, unexplained reason; and 
the body well along in life, after' it has begun to show these sexual 
develop characteristics, as a male or female parent body it develops 
together. the sperm cells or egg cells appropriate to such a body. As 

a matter of fact, v/e have, very early in a given individual, 

two distinct kinds of cells;- those v/hich are going to make 
the body, with its muscles, nerves, bone etc*; and those which represent 
not this generation but future generations. These latter are the 
"primordial" sex or reproductive cells. Each kind of cells, body and gera, 
as they develop, influences the other. The body cells nourish and house' 
the sex cells. The sex cells on the contrary in various v;ays control the 
special growth of the "parent" body which contains them. In a strict 
sense this body is not the parent of the sex cells. The colls of the 
body arc really the "cousins" of the sex cells. 

V/hat do V/hatever else these sex cells may do, we have learned that it 
the sex is their presence in the body which guides a nd c o ntrols the 
cells do special sex development of the body wh ic h carries them . 
to the Primordial cells which are male cause the body to develop the 
body? special male organs and the other characteristics of body which • 

males have. In a similar way primordial feraale cells not merely 

insure that only eggs will be produced in the body, but also 
cause the body to develop all the special female organs and qualities, in 
other words we now know that these sex cells help to determine the sex of 
the "parent", rather than the parent determining the sex of cells which 
it carries. 

Other The influence of these contained sex cells is not confined to 
effects physical structures. They determine also the functions, 
of the instincts, temperament, and behavior. That is to say whatever 
sex difference there is in the inherited natujre, instincts, impulse-e 
cells, of males and females is produced by the direct activity of 
these two kinds of sex cells as these influence the development 

of the body in v^hich they are housed, {Se; also Part II. ' 

Chapter 2, ) 

How do We are able to remove these sex cells from the body of some 
we do know animals very early in life,- before the special outer male or 
this? female qualities develop, and even before the inner sex glands 

proper (testes and ovaries) are fully formed. In such cases 

the differences between males aiid females do not appear. If 
the body develops at all, it will be a neuter . 

In higher animals, including man, these operations cannot be 
performed until after birth. By this time the sex organs are already well 
formed. But even in the case of such anim.als we ncay remove the testes or 
ovaries before maturity and prevent the full development of the r^le or 
female type of body and impulses. This is a common operation among farm 
animals, and may profoundly change the nature of the animal. In certain 
cases of such incomplete males and females, healthy glands taken from 
other members of their ovm sex have been graflted into their bodies, and this 
has resulted in starting again the development of the special secondary 
sex structures and mental characteristics which they had lost by castration. 
One further ^'.op h^i. beeu laken. Ovari.cs aiiu iubtet, nave been grafted 
suesessfully into the bodies of castrated individuals of the other sex. 



28. 



In the case of nalcs of certain mammals, when this was done, the 
mammary glands "began to increase in size more like that of the female, 
and may even become functional (produce milk) and the male shov/ed a 
feminine interest and care for the young, which he normally does not 
show. 

How does We do not yet know the whole of the manner of this profound 

this in- influence of the sex cells especially in its earlier stages, 

fluence But we know a part. We know, for example, that the sex 

of the glands (testes and ovaries), after they are developed, 

germ secrete chemical suhstances (hormones) into the blood which 

cells on are carried over the body and stimulate the growth, aay of 

the body spurs in the rooster, or of the vocal chords of a boy, the 

take growth of beard on the face, or of the mammary glands of the 

place? female. There is good evidence for the view that the early 

. sex cells cause the development of the ovaries and testes 

themselves. 



The bodSrly Among the animals we find nmiorous qualities of body which 
differ- are different in the males and females. Of course the 
ences be- essential or primary difference is the difference between the 
tween the eggs and the sperm. It is from this difference that the other 
sexes, differences arise, The most important of these secondary 

differences arising from eggs and sperm are the special sex 

glands,- ovaries and testes. Then there are the special duots, 
storage organs, and mating organs needed to make each sex able to perform 
its particular duties. Supplementing these essential m.ale and ferule 
organs are many others, external and less essential, by which v/e can 
easily recognize the sexes among animals. .For example, the males may be 
larger, fiercer, more powerful than the f empale as in cattle and horses; 
although the opposite is often true, as in spiders. There are also 
differences in shape and proportions of the body; in special organs, as 
plumage, spurs and horns; in color and noise-making; and in essential 
instincts. 



Bodily 
qualities 
of men 
and women 
aside 
from spe- 
cial 
organs of 

reproduc- 
tion. 



Are the 
differ- 
ences be- 
tween 
males and 
feirales 
confined 
to struc- 
tures? 



Males differ from females among humans in the greater size and 
length of the bones, in ruggedness of body and coarseness of 
skin, in strength, in size of vocal cords and heaviness of 
voice, in greater hairiness of face and body, and in somewhat 
slower rate of metabolism and maturing. 

Women, on the other hand have soi.iewhat smaller bodies, more 
deposit of fat beneath the slcin, and greater development of 
hips and mammary glands, giving a more curmng and less tiniform 
o^itline to the body, slightly different proportions of limbs 
to bodily height, a higher metabolism and more rapid maturing. 

These structural differences bet\-een males and females all 
through the animal kingdom are associated v/ith differences of 
instincts, feelings, tastes, behavior, habits, and sstis~ 
factions. This is shown very well in the m,ales and females 
of birds. Out of these inner differences grow the attractions 
v/hich the males and fenales of any species have for each other. 
These attractions may be quite direct and reflex, as in the 
|or;er organ,"/: .no ; or the p4.imitiv'": Incti-./utti may be associated 
with all degrees of conscious affection, unselfishness and 
service in idealistic men, and even in some animals below 
men. 



29. 



IVhat The raale and female qualities mentioned in the preceding 
social paragraph are just as really sexual in their nature as are 
bearing the reproductive organs themselves. It is to these irnpuleee 
liave and emotional qualities fiather than to the mere physiological 
these differences betv/een the sexes that v/e ov/e courtship, love of 
'higher" mates, iTiarriage, love and care of parents for children, 
differ- sentiments of brotherhood, home and home ideals, and the 
ences? influence of all these in making society. Probably the home 
and family life, which grov/s directly out of sex and repro- 
duction, have done more to soften the' competition of the 
struggle for individual existence and to make a social evolution possible 
than any other factors v;hatsoever. That these ;ire not merely accidentally 
associated v/ith social evolutS.on in man is fairly indicated by the fact that 
they are seen together in a number of groups of animals belov/ man. In man 
consciousness has merely mad-e a fuller use of them. 



30, 

Chapter 2» Psychological Elements In Reproduction and Sex, and Their 
Effects on Hujnan Life* 

V/hat is Of course there is no sharp line which separates psychology 

the from "biology in sex or anything else. While for the most 

starting part the preceding chapter deals Vi^ith the biology of sex, 

point of the last few sections mention factors and qualities which are 

psychology? usually called psychological,- such as instincts, feelings, 

impulses, habits, ideals. "Ihen we are thinking of the 

structures, functions, senses, and behavior of an animal which 
relate or adapt the organism to its environment v;o regard them as biolo- 
gicai% On the orther hand v;hen we are considering what is talcing place 
within the animal, - as emotions, memory, consciousness, happenings lying 
between its senses ajad its behavior, - we call the facts psychological* Of 
course psychology is biological in reality. What does the orgaiiism Imow 
of what is going on about it or v/ithin it? How does it feel on the 
subject? Docs it have cny preferences or dislikes? Con it recall or use 
past experiences? Is it comfortable or uncomfortable when outside forces 
stimulate it? Or when it behaves in certain ways? Docs it have any 
desires or hungers or purposes arising within, apart from what happens 
to be going on just about it? Do any of these things modify its conduct? 
33iis is the field of psychology. 

Do not Tihile we humaiis can v/atch what is going on in our o\m con- 

fenow the sciousness, v;o cannot get into the consciousness of any other- 

psycho- not even huraaji being and answer for it such questions as were 

logy of asked above. Ail we can do is to watch its behavior (whic.i 

the lower may be in the form of words ) and infer what is going on inside 

organism. It by v/hat we loiow of ourselves o What we Imow of ourselves is 

all that we do know. In the case of the very lov/ly forms, 

v/hich are so different from ourselves, we are very much less 
sure of our guesses thm when we are trying to interpret from their acts 
and words v;hat is going on inside other human beings* In what is sa.id 
below, the reader v/ill understand that v/e are reading something of our 
ovm human states into the lower animals. \7e may maJce mistalces when v^/c do 
so, but there is no other possible way to interps:et their inner states. 

T/hat are From the point of view of their survival and success the first 

the chief problem of organisms of any grade is to become adapted sdjaidly 

problems to those essontiaJ forces and conditions of nature which meJce 

of living or mar their life. Ihese conditions include heat, liGh':-, 

things? gravity, water, oxygen, food enemies, aiid other avth thing?* 

Animals caii become adapted to these only because ,qnch outer 

conditions can stimulate living objects and because living 
objects are sensitive to and can respond to the stimuli* iLliis is bioLogytc 
Prom the point of view of the organism itself (psychology! can it sense 
whether it is in a condition of adjustment or not? Nov; wo are raising 
a psychological question to which v;e shall probably never imov/ th answer. 
A3id yet we do have using what we know of ourselves, some valuable clues* 



31. 

Judging from ourselves, the higher animals at least are 
continually "behaving as thou^ they -.vera trying to be comfortable, or 
"happy" as ne human beings put it. The outside conditions may produce 
comfort or discomfort in us, and probably in other anima-ls. This inner 
psychological satisfaction or dissatisfaction is of course not the sane 
thing as being adapted in a wholesome way to the outside conditions of 
life, but there is a relation between them. In a general sort of way 
comfort and safety harmonize, \7hen an organi^ji is in pair ot distress, 
it is a very good sign that the adjustment is tad and something needs to 
be done. ViTaen the outer conditions are not extreme and its inner needs 
have been met, the organism is more likely to be comfortable,- and quiet. 
Comfort and lack of action in a sensitive and responsive organism is in 
general a sign of reasonable adjustment to its conditions. 

Relation This matter of comfort and discomfort because of the stimulation 
of this of the outside forces is not the full statement of the case, 
to appe- In addition to the fact that an animal may get pleasure by 
tites and smelling and tasting food, the higher animals at least seem to 
hungers. have certain uncomfortable internal conditions v;hen food and 

water have been withheld too long. These we call hunger and 

thirst . Because of the discomfort accompanying those internal 
states an animal may be driven to] more and to more elaborate action than 
any ordinary external stimulation by food v;ould have brought about. An 
organism may be driven then to respond .or do something, either by outside 
stimulating conditions which are actually present, or by inner wants for 
something which is not present at all . Such a want we call a himger or an 
appetite . These fundamental capacities of v/ant are of course inherited, 
and are very important in adapting organisms to the environment. 

Desires:- This still does not end the story of wants and satisfactions, 
tastes When, for example, a young hwnan being has boon hungry and has 
and had the satisfying experience of food, something has been added 
aversions, to the mere organic hunger when it comes again. The experience 

. has strengthened the inner situation {the "psychology"), and 

there may be created in time a special desire for a particular 
kind of food. In the same way, by giving a hungry child some food which 
produces nausea and distress, we can be operating thus on this same food- 
taking impulse, weaken temporarily at least the hunger itself, and create 
a lasting aversion to a particular kind of food. These acquired desires, 
tastes, and aversions are not so closely connected with adaptation and 
survival as our inherited appetites are. They are not so significant to 
the preservation of the species as arc the inherited appetites; but they 
are not without profound practical meaning, since they too modify comfort 
and conduct. 

Appetites We may well say then that these various natural appetites are 
and de- of distinct value to the organism, although they may produce, 
sires are until gratified, a very distinct feeling of distress and ten- 
not de- sion. Indeed they are valuable just because they do produce 
tached tension and create an internal situation which leads towarc. 
qualities, action,- and in the main tov/ard actions which are good for the 

individual or for the ^ecies or for both. In a general way 

too the strength of a natural appetite is not an accidert. 
It is proportional to the actual value to life of the conduct called for. 



32. 

Pleasure An imsatisfied appetite may furnish a keen dissatisfaction, 
in the It is interesting however, that the fulfilling of the desire 
indul- does not merely remove the discomfort of the appetite. This 
gence of indulgence usually is accompanied by a very positive and keen 
appetites, pleasure of its ovm. Eating gradually satisfies hunger; "but 

accompanied "by smell, taste, the pleasure of swallowing, etc., 

to say nothing of the social satisfactions which we human beings have 
learned to combine with eating, it carries large gratifications of a more 
psychological kind than merely stopping the biological tensions in the 
gastric muscles which give the sensation of hunger. This emotional 
state of pleasure is even more marked and intense in the sexual appetite. 
This pleasure which accompanies action, particularly in those animals 
that can recall it, helps greatly to lengthen the bond between the 
appetite and action and to insure that the desire shall be indulged. 

He can readily see that the discomfort of the appetite and the 
coi-nfort of gratification are both valuable in inducing an animal or human 
being to act. It is very important to remember, however, that the pleasure, 
or gratification of the organism is not the value which is of primary im - 
portance . The important result is in the organic ad.jnstment toward which 
the appetite lead s. This distinction is fundamental in any scientific 
estimate of the values in human life and conduct. V.'hile pleasure and 
satisfaction have a tremendous role in education, it is not sound scientifi- 
cally for example, to exalt the accompanying pleasure into a chief end of 
action, as certain esthetically-ninded people tend to do. Pleasure is a 
psychological incentive, just as pain is to action and adjustment. 

What is There are as many kinds of "hungers", appetites, desirea and 
the range satisfactions as there are important kinds of adjustments 
of our needing to be made by us. V/e "hunger" for food and water, 
appetites? for rest, for ease, for exciting conditions of life, for 

friends, for knowledge, and many other things. It is hard 

too to conceive how any such native appetites could have 
arisen among us by evolution unless there was an external reality and 
some such vital adaptation to produce and maintain it. In other words 
appetites do not happe n . They are inherited or acquired, and in either 
case they stand for real stimuli and real satisfactions and real ad- 
justments. 

We may classify the most important of these human impulses 
and appetites under four general heads: the first group of such impulses 
deals with our physical surroundings; the second with food, nutrition 
and development; the third with the social relations which rise from 
reproduction and sex; and the fourth viith knovledge, and with the meanings 
of experience, reality, beauty and truth. There aro few human concerns 
that fall outside these four types of interest. 

1. Protec- The impulses and satisfactions that are coupled with such 

tive general physical fences and conditions as temperature, drouth, 
ira- and' moisture, light, chemical agencies, and enemies are 
pulses, largely protective . They include the Jesire for comfortable 

relations and freedom from pain, from fear, from tmcertainty, 

and from extremes of any kind. These are the lowest, most 

animal of our desires and comforts. V/e share them vn^.h mo^Jt animals 



33. 

apparently. There is usually connecte-] with -chen only the pleasure 
that comes from "being rid of the unfavorable condition which causes the 
distress. The 1-ceen delights that accompar.y some of the other impulses 
are not often found here, 

Nutritive A very keen group of appetites and gratifications clusters 
imp ulses around the essential function of getting and using food and 
and satis - water ind the like. These include hxmgor, thirst, the 
factions . special "taste" for special types of food; also the desire 

for, and satisfaction in, exercise, play, work, talldng, 

singing, - any kind of muscular expression. These desires 
and comforts and behavior have to do v;ith individual nutrition, fitness, 
health, growth and development. They are positive, strong, and highly 
valuable. They are purely selfish and individual in their service. 
Being essential they are common to animals as well as humans. 

Reproduc - The reproductive and sexual functions and imipulses (see chap- 
tion and ter I) produce the species and mold the relations of one member 
sexual of the species to the other members. The desires and satis- 
impulses factions tho-t accompany these are therefore soci?.l in their 
and nature. They cannot be strictly individual. They ,.re 
appetites , illustrated by the pov^irful urges and satisfactions of sex 
and mating which are everywhere closely associated with re- 
production! desire for companionship and association and 
tendencies to congregate; the social devotions and services of parents • 
for offspring. These are all se^n in animals below man b;s well as in 
man himself, 

Curiosity There is another group of tendencies and impulses which drive 
an:l th e the human being to explore and experiment not so much for 
satisfac - practical purposes as for the sake of learn ing about and 
tion of appreciating his surroundings, \7e call it cur iosi ty or the 
"guessing" , s cientific s pirit. It is a desire for knowledge, for facts 

for novelty, for mastery of relations, for truth. The higher 

animals show some traces of this quality; but it is peculiarly 
a field in v;hich human evolution has advanced. These desires and satis- 
factions are of course the foundation of intellectual and rational 
development, and are the means by which consciousness becomes adjusted 
to the universe order. Without them a logic, a science, an art, a philo- 
sophy or a religion would be impossible. The fact that all of these human 
adjustments an^i expressions are imperfect and incomplete in no way 
diminishes the high value of these mental fijinctions and desires. 

The For the most part these natural organic complexes which we have 
natural been speaking of as tendencies, impulses, urges, appetites 
cycle of are not constant in their operation. They are rhythmic, 
an rather. For example, such a group of impulses as we know in 
appetite, hiinger or sex desire among animals might be illustrated as 
follows. For some time after a full meal an animal is free 
from any tendency to crave or seek food. Gradually, however, 
the effects of the meal pass av;ay and certain v;aves of muscular contrac- 
tion begin to take place in the empty stomach. These are reflex and 
instinctive and are accompanied by the uncotnfor table sensations we call 
hunger . Together these inner processes (with or with'^-^t external stimula- 
tion duo to t..c pre^e.'ice ux food itself, tiur^ouri.i smeii., sight, or taste) 



34, 

drive the animal to do the things partly instinctive and partly acquired, 
v/hich will tend to secure the food. This desire and search for, this 
capture and eating of food, mixed with other factors, is accompanied by 
a rising emotional life culminating in Iceen pleasure. The full indulgence 
of the appetite is followed by a sharp decline in emotions and in activity. 
This feeling may reduce to the mild comfort of being satisfied, or to the 
partly disagreeable state of satiety. All the keen appetitea generally 
follow some such cycle. Just how the process follows through depends on 
variations in both the internal nature, instinctive and acquired, and the 
external factors. 

The sex The phases of the animal sex cycle do not differ fundamentally 
impulses from that pictured in the last section for hunger. It follows 
and the same course of gradual increase of desire and inner ten- 

appetites, sions, the behavior of the animal responding to the urge, 

the gratification and the satisfaction which comes with it, 

the relaxation of the tension and disappearance of desire, 
and indifference until the impulse is aroused once more. The course of 
this normal cycle of appetite V7hile naturally linked thus is not inevitable, 
but can be broken up or otherwise modified in humans, both by external 
factors, and by the operation of inner processes in consciousness. 

Sex impulses and their "carry through" into conduct differ 
however in many practical ways from hunger. The sex emotions are much more 
complex; the ways in which sex desire can be aroused are much more numerous 
and varied; the males and females differ in their sexual emotions and in the 
modes of expressing them, and each thus strongly influences the cycle in 
the other; and the modes of sexual expression range all the way from the 
merely animal contacts and courship leading to sex intercourse up to the 
roost complex possible social, intellectual, emotional and esthetic forms 
of association and devotions with or without the physical culmination. 
The result of all this is that the problems relating to the use and enjoy- 
ment of the sex impulses and to the bahabior growing out of them in human 
males and females become infinitely complicated, - and more complicated by 
far than in any other human appetite. 

The In recent times there has been a tendency to question 

question whether there are any natural differences between the mental 
of mental and emotional qualities of women and men. Of course it is 
differences clear enough that at least a part of the mental and tempera- 
depending mental differences v.'hich we eee in men and womaii is the 
on sex, result of our social education, Everyt?ung v/e Imow of the 

impulses and behavior of the males and females of the 

higher animals, as birds and raanmials, tends to show, how- 
ever, that we cannot have such profoundly different sex and parental 
functions as males and females roust perform v;ithout these producing dif- 
ferences in the instinctive, emotional, esthetic, and social temperament 
of the sexes. V/hile we may never be able to say just how much of the 
difference be\tween the terms "womanly" and "manly" is due to sex in- 
heritance and how much to difference of education* there is not real doubt 
that there are basal biological and psychological differences. 
Perhaps the moat important mental differences between males and femaiee 
in the higher animals is thj-t the instincts and desires of the male lead 
to pursuit, and those of the female to attracting and being pursued. This 
is certainly true in the females except possibly at the moment of highest 



35. 

desire* There is no reason whatever to question th .t these instinctive 
tendencies are likewise ch.iracteristic of hum_in males j,nd ferx-les, 
however they may have been covered over by education and conventions. 
This distinction has probably more far reaching social significance than 
any other temperamental diffefenoe betv;een the sexes. Defense and 
chivalry in males is probably correl-ated with this tendency of pursuit, 
biologically^ and it is not a mere matter of conventional patronizing 
grov/ing out of a feeling of superiority as resented by the feminists. 
Indeed the difference in the social education complained of is not j ' 
itself an accident. It in turn grev; out of the inherited differences. 

The sex Among the higher animals and man., the production of eggs is 
impulses in general seasonal or periodic, The sex desires are likely 
of to be keen during these seasons of egg production j,nd tend to 

females, disappear entirely bet^veen seasons. Usually the period in 

_^ which eggs are being incub-ited or the young -re being carried 

in the body is not a period of egg production or of sex de- 
sire. In woman the egg producing period occurs aioproximately thirteen 
tines a year, or at intervals of four weeks. In general the sexual desires 
and physical satisfactions among women are less pov/erful than among men; 
but these tend somewhat to increase with the activity Of the ovaries in 
producing eggs. There appears to be a fortnightly rhythm of increased sex 
desire. There are, however, apparently exceptions to this condition. 

The sex Sperm cells are produced much more abimdantly than eggs, 
appetite V/liile in males of some species there .xre also seasons of 
among increased production, sperm cells :.re more likely to be pro- 
males, duced all the time than are eggs. Males are therefore 

^ sexually potent and excitable throughout the year more 

gentjrally than females are. This ability of being sexually 
excited at any time is particularly characteristic of the males of poly- 
gamous or promiscuous animals such as poultry, dogs, c-ttle, .Jid horses. 
This among .Animals, is an effective biological device, because the atten- 
tion of the males is thus concentrated on those females which are pro- 
ducing eggs, -i-nd those females which are not potent or which are carrying 
young are not in competition for the available supply of sperm cells. 

What In human beings, both male and female, a large conscious 
effect element has come into the sex life. This "a is done two things, 
has human In the first place, it has strsJagtbftfi^ frio sex urge and has 
conscious- tended to iiake it more continuous for females as well as for 
ness upon males. In the second place, consciousness has gradually 
sex directed attt^ntion to the more emotional, intellectual, 

impulses? esthetic, and social elements as over against the more 

physical gratifications of sex. These psychological elements 

of relation and satisf-iction -re oven less limited than the 
physical to special seasons. It is in the possibility of these higher 
spiritual refinements and irradiations of sex that man differs most from 
the lower animals. Furthermore, it is in these also that women differ 
most from mtn. There is much more incitement _nd energy involved in the 
sex impulses of human beings than :-re necessary merely to secure mating. 
Because of this unused energy, sex and reproduction associate v/ith and 
enrich, as v;e have seen, almost every worthwhile relation of life. In . : 
women apparently more of the sexual interest expresses itself in these 
less physical and more spiritual ways. This is probably connected v;ith 
her biological specialization of reproduction. 



36. 

Effects Because the female carries the eggs "before and often 
which during fertilization, and often by some form of extra 
these attention cares for the fertilized eggs or young, her 
differ- sex life is much more closely connected with the problems 
ences of successful reproduction. Her instincts ♦ impulses, and 
work out behavior therefore must be such as both to attract the male 
in the and to fit her for the care of offspring* Hef functions 
sex life make demands upon her both of attractiveness and Ot un- 
of each. selfishness and of sacrificing attitudes and ixabitc. The 

male on the other hand must have instincts and qualities 

v/hich enable hira to appreciate the attractions of the 
female and to seek, win and fertilize her. This demands on the v/hole 
a more imperious, self-gratifying nature. The variations of these 
themes which v;e find in animals are most extraordinary; but the under- 
lying theme is pretty constant. 

How human It v/ill be understood that these sex and reproductive 
conscious- appetites and satisfactions (all the necessary appetites, 
ness comes indeed) are powerful enough to keep the species going in the 
to streng- louver organisms that do not have the effective type of con- 
then these sciousness v/hich man has. Man has, of course, all the 
impulses. biological impulses which the lower animals have. But in 
addition to this, he has, probably, a keener present con- 
sciousness of his desires. He has also the kind of conscious- 
ness, which we call memory or imagination , by nneans of v^rhich, whenever 
he has a keen desire, he is able to bring into the present his past 
satisfactions of this same impulse. He can thus strengthen the appeal 
of the present desire by what he remembers of satisfaction. Furthermore, 
by the use of imagination he can look for^'ard and anticipate and pvirpose 
and plan for the gratification of this desire as probably none of the 
lower animals can. The first result of our human consciousness therefore 
is to take our crude appetites and satisfactions and make them both more 
intense momentatily and more lasting in their effects. It is this and 
similar facts that make it true that our human appetites do not carry 
their own guidance and controls as in the lower animals. They are all 
more powerful than is necessary to secure their biological ends. 

In practice It will aid us in understanding the tremendous power of 
how are the sex appetite in human life to examine briefly the various 
sex v;ays by which these complex urges can be stimulated and the 
appetites organic machinery by which we respond in one way or another 
aroused? be started. These stimuli of the sex complex may be classed 

somewhat uncritically thus; A. Internal elements, - including 

1) certain basal inner physiological processes which are 
largely reflex and for the most .art do not arise into consciousness at 
all, and 2) the inner mental states such as thinking or remembering or 
imagining and B. External elements, which include 1) direct physical 
stimulation of the genitals, and 2) appeals to sex consciousness through 
the senses, particularly in man through the higher senses of sight and 
hearing. 



37. 

How do the All incitements are in an essential sense physiological, 
inner Under this head, as limited above, may he classified 
physiolo- certain inner, largely reflex or automatic processes 
gical in- which usually do not operate throtigh consciousness ^ 
citeraents Such are: 
WorkV 

1, The internal secretions, or hormones, produced "by the 

sex glands, which on the one hand stimulate the growth of the 
sex organs and on the other arouse the special instincts, desires and 
temperament that accompany the maturing of sex life. V/e have seen how 
castration destroys these temperamental qualities of both males and 
females just as really as it makes reprodLictions impossible. These 
hormones doubtless have something to do with seasonal sex activity 
and latency. 

2. V/hen the bladder, or rectum, or the seminal cavities become 
distended there are set up nervous reflexes which may cause involuntary 
erection of the genitals, or otherwise draw attention to them. 

3. Possibly the use of stimulants and unhygienic living may 
modify the nervous connections in such ways as to increase or decrease 
the sex^ial reactions. 

4. Less understood by us are the physiological changes which 
produce the rhythm of desire, seeking, and satisfaction followed by 
definite lack of desire. Gradually capacity for desire and actual desire 
returns. \7e know something of how it returns in hunger. V/e do not know 
in respect to sex. Possibly this too is connected with 1) above. 

How do the The sex imp.ulses have such pov;erful appeals that, if not 
mental definitely within consciousness, they are continually on the 
states in- verge of it. Our curiosity is always playing about such 
fluence interesting things. Our memory is continually bringing back 
the sex past thoughts or experiences v;hich have interested us or have 
urge? given us pleasure. Our desire for enjoyment and for novelty 
is continually joining our curiosity and our dominant im- 
pulses to urge us to anticipate and experiment and plan 
ahead. Through these various conscious operations our own sex states and 
the possibilities of satisfaction are continually brought to the front 
even when there are no external appeals to us, and apparently when there 
are no recognizable physiological changes to which we can trace the 
mental states. Imagination, ideas, memory, and purposes may serve, de- 
pending on their intensity and character, either to weak: en or strengthen 
our sexual tendencies. The great "xmconscious" nature to which Preud and 
his followers have brought our attention, doubtless operates perpetually 
upon the sex states. 

Physical Sex feelings and desires may be aroused and the whole sex 
stimula- reflex brought into play through physical handling of the 
tion of organs, through clothes that bind or rub, through irritations 
the caused by malformations and accuriiulated secretions of the 
genitals. sex organs themselves. These mechanical stimuli operate 

through the highly sensitive surfaces and the rich nervous 

connections of the sexual apparatus. Such conditions may lead 
ycur€ children T;.ite vnr<zi\::\i<msly ^ntc -':hu px.c'.ise ^x masturbation. 



38. 

Arousing In most animals the very sight of the female is sufficient, 
sex states in seafeon, to arouse the. whole sex reaction of the male, 
and re- Her odor or voice may act in a similar way. The same is 
sponses in a considerable degree true in mankind; but by conventions 
through and conscious control this has been, greatly modified. Nover- 
the theless, in various ways, - by sug;;estive pictures, stories, 
senses, contacts, gestures and actions, and by exposure of parts of 

the female body not usually seen, male sex impulses may bo 

promptly aroused, especially among those vfho have not 
cultivated control. One of the most difficult problems of the later 
stages of human courtship lies in these facts. The great value of a 
period of courtship ife the increased understanding which can come from 
the intimacy and the removal of the ordinary barriers. This very 
intimacy encourages situations which inevitably arouse physiological 
mecha:iism of sex. 

The If this were the whole psychology of sex the conditions 
"higher " pictured in the last paragraphswould lead "instinctively" 
physiolo - as in the higher animals to physical sex gratification. 
gy of whatever the "mechanists" in biology may have to say on 
sex, the subject, the boy and girl, under these acute conditions, 

may nevertheless have such conscious ideas, ideals, tastes, 

attitudes and purposes that the normal animal result is 
postponed and the personal "psychology", while still dominated by sexual 
purposes and enjoying sexual satisfactions does so on a plane of friend- 
ship, sacrifice and consideration which carmot bo chalked up to mole-: 
cules, neurones and endocrinesl Some of these aspects of sex psychology 
V7ill be discussed in the succeeding chapters. 



39, 



Chapter III. Soimd and Unsound Use of Appetites, incliidinA" those 
of Sex. 



Review of Whenever we find an inherited tendency or appetite aniong 
the nean- animals or men, we may be very sure that this points to 
ing of a value or use which this a]ppetite has had for" individuals 
aiopotitos. or for the species in their evolution. Purely selfish . 

and competitive tendencies and j)Ov/ers raay be valuable to 

the individual and thus only indirectly to the species, by 
way of its individuals. Hunger and the food-capturing impulses will 
illustrate these. An animal can eat only for itself. In doing so it 
may rob other individuals of the species of necessary food. ThiS' may 
influence the species indirectly by deter:nining what individuals may 
survive. Self-sacrificing and cooperating impulses, on the other hand, 
such as are associated xvith the reproductive and parental functions may. 
servo Urcctly to upbuild the species. Those may be without any direct 
advantage to the individual, or indeed they may call for consideral^le 
sacrifice. These instincts and habits produce more individuals and tend 
to Iccop them alive, and thus increase the species. About both' these 
classes of functions may grow up simple or complex appetites which guide, 
to effective behavior and satisfactions which thus reward the individual 
and tend to make his behavior habitual, even when done at a sacrifice. 

Does thi3 As a simple biological statement then we may fairly say that 

mean that the natural, normal thing for any animal is to follow and 

these ap- gratify his various appetites as these assert themselves and 

petites as the opportunit.ies come for doing so. There is, under 

should be ordinary circumstances, no great or hurtful over-indulgence 

indulged? of these appetites by healthy animals, by the very character 

of the instinct itself and the rhythm of desire automatically 

takes care of the situation. 



The argu- ^^^^ people have been disposed to argue from this that the 
ment from ^°^^ ^^ less simple conditions of the appetites in animals 
the lov/er will sufficiently give us our clue to suitable human 
animals. behavior in respect to sex and the other impulses and 

appetites. They have been disposed to say; - "The individual 

human appetites and desires are a sound and sufficient guide 
for conduct. These are essential biological wants, and their evolution 
and strength point to needs which should be met. It is stupid, un- 
hygienic, and puritanical to deny these gratifications. The only rule 
of life is the joy of gratifying the desires as they arise." 

The human But the matter is by no means so simple as this. The human 
and his is a much more sophisticated being than the other animals, 
appetites, even if he does retain all their appetites. In the pre- 

— ceding chapter (p. ) attention vias called to the vr.v in 

which our natural inherited appetites are relr-f or-ced-by our 
consciousness and our remembered experiences and thus raised into 
acquired personal, individual desires, which so to speak are piled on 
top of the natural appetites themselves. In other- '^..O.i in nc human 



40. 

"being, except In an imbecile, are there the mere natural impulses to 
be considered. We humans are likely to be over-greedy, over-curious, 
and over-sexed, because of our reirnarkable pov;er of imagination. All 
of this means that the individual human being has reached a place 
where his impulses alone do not contain their own controls, as in 
the lower aninals. They are not safe guides to behavior. For 
example, no person who understands human hygiene would hold that 
hunger and taste are as satisfactory guides to the kind, quantity, 
or time of food among men as they are among animals; or are as safe 
as reason based upon experience. 

The stor- Because the human individual can also be conscious of the 
ing of after-effects of his own over-indulgence in eating and in 
experience, fighting and in sex, into which his increased desires have 

carried him, he can build up a store of experience. 

Memory can bring up not only the pleasures of pafet self'^ 
indulgence in any of these things, but also the unsatisfactory elements 
in these same experiences. Emotion and reason play about these indivi- 
dual experiences, comparing the favorable and the unfavorable elements, 
and some individuals at least find ground for some control of desires, 
even in the interest of the greatest individual satisfaction. This is 
the peculiar mark of the rational human. It is the beginning of any 
possible personal conscious choice between courses of conduct, (Of 
course our me^thanistic biologists do not allow any choice even here; 
but by the same token their own theoretic statements are without merit. 
Their rational processes are no more trustworthy than those of the 
emotionalist} They are alike mechanicall) 

The social The situation is made more complicated still be another 
element. fact. Society is more consciously and compactly continuous 

among humans than in any other species. The conclusions of 

an individual from his own emotional and intellectual inter- 
pretation of his experiences and observations may be passed on to others 
of the same or of a later generation. This insures both that there will 
be differen-5 schools of thought about such matters in any generation and 
that there will be a difference of view-point between the mature and the 
young, between the more or less organized social experience and deductions 
from the past and the inexperienced desires of the young. 

The This situation is full of interesting possibilities, both 
dangers good and bad. It makes possible a very definite v/ay by 
and which the young may be aided to get better relations to 
values of their appetites without running the risk of disastrous ex- 
this, periences on their own part, It brings a digest of the 

stored experiences and feelings and reasoning of the race 

to the individual, earlier than he could possibly get it 
for himself. Much of it may be given before his appetites gain headway 
and he may thus be given a bias toward certain behavior. It may serve 
as a king of prophylaxis of behavior. On the other hand, the mature 
generation may be so sure of the value of its interpretation of the 
racial experience, and the new generation may be so determined upon its 
own rights of experience as to reach an impasse . This conflict between 
youth and society is more or less true at all times. The present, 
however, seems to illustrate this state of conflict peculiarly well. 



41. 

Applies If the more pov;erful impulses do not any longer accurately ■ 
to the represent in us the actual net hiologicai needs of hr.man 
sex teings, and do not carry automatically and instinctively. 
impulses? their o^vn suitable controls, how shorild we dGterrpi.rj3_inai.- 

viduallv o r socjally, vj n.at is ''so^r nd" o r "ur isound". Iri 

resj'e c.t to s e:: .^ehavicr? l-iii s prol'lem li.nvo.lves some of the 
most searching q_uestions v/hich v/e horaan beings have learned to ask of 
life. Furthermore, the answers we give to them are among the most 
important practical considerations tearing upon the ^7hole course of, 
individual character and of social evolution. It is not enough, to 
ansv;er these questions to our ovm satisfaction. V/e must ansv/er them to, 
the satisfaction of the new generation. Some of these questions are:- 
Is' sex intercourse biologically necessaiy for the health of che hiiman 
individual? Is it necessary for mental or emotional health that either 
males or females shall follow these, im.pulses to their natural physical 
gratification? Is it possible to control these impulses at all? Is it 
possible to do so to the point of total abstinence from sexual inter- 
course? If it is jaQs^ible, is it dej.irQble so to abstain in any degree 
and at any period of ].ife? If so, v/hat determines whan and to v;hat 
degree it is desirable? Is there any .nccgi^sljc^: of abstaining temporarily 
or permanently? If so, is suoh necessit-^- individual or social or both? 
Are there any essential differences between males and females in respect- 
to any of these questions? If^ as m.ay prove possible, there is a 
definite conflict between individual sati sfactj.oh and even health, ■ on the 
one hand, and social welfare on the other, is any reconciliation possible 
and on v/hat basis v;ill a sound solution of the conflict be made? . 

The devel- Before talcing up some of these questions in detail it is, 
opm.ental desirable to consider two or three arg^oments and points of 
argument. view which have been advanced relative to sex, and to the 

other strong native impulses v;hich have much to do v;ith 

human health, happiness, conduct, and social evolution. 

It is sometimes put in this way. "The only thing we can be 
sure of in respect to the various social sanctions and rules is that 

they cannot be absplut oly rig ht ard final. Therefore, apart from the . 

poor pedagogy in trying to do so, no mature generation has a righ t to 
impose its standards of sex conduct, or any other of its controls, 
arbitrarily upon the new generation. VJhat wo should rather seek to do 
is to call out in each individual the natiiral pov/ers of feeling and 
discriminating through experience and reasoning which v;ill cause him to 
develop within himself guiding principles untrainmelled by the crystal- 
lized adult moralities of his time. 

There is certainly something vital in this argument, and yet 
its advocates often seem to ignore the fact that these same social 
standards are themselves the result of just such a gradual evolutionary 
suriming up of human experience. IVhile they cannot be infallible, the , 
competition of various ideals makes it equally impossible that thej'' 
should be completely v;rong. It is poor pedagogy to try to put racial . 
experience over upon youth dogmatically and arbitrarily; it- is poor 
humanity and equally poor teaching on the other hand, either therretically 
or practically to ignore the best results of past social experie:^oe, 
reinterpreted in the light pf present Imo^vledge. ^^ ---ns^ -derate end 
democratic ^v^y musv be louiid to transfer the ti^^periences of the past. 
This is very different from denying them altogether at the command of the 
individual desires of the new generation. 



42. 



The indivi some individualists go further, llhey claim that the health, 
dualistic the necessity, the happiness, the welfare of the individual 
argument. must be the final test of individual conduct; that this self 
considering privilegii is the normal course of freedom and pro- 
gress for' huraaa evolution jxist as it has "been in the selfish 
struggles of the lower aaimals. She reader \7ill realize that this is mere- 
ly the full application to all life of the Darwinian theory of selfish 
individual struggle and the survival of the winning individual, as the 
sole mode of progress. It ignores the fact that all the later evolutionary 
progress of the higher animals has depended quite as much, if not more, 
upon the subordination in some degree of individual freedom of behavior, «- 
Y/hether through instinct or consciousness, - to the impulses and behavior 
which we have been calling sacrificing and social * This non-cocipetitive 
or social element is seen in the higher animals and in man in reproduction 
itself, in parental care, in gregarious and oooper^ting impulses, in all 
social organization, Ihere could havo been no social cooperation, to 
say nothing of preserving e:^erience in social codes and sanctions, from 
an unmodified individual struggle for existeaice. If there has been any ;-'■- 
social evolution in the past, or is to be any in the future, it can be 
c»ly as the individual impulses give v/av not merely to the stronger impulses 
of other individuals competing with them, but non-competitive ly to social 
purposes, as conceived by progressing society and conveyed to the develop- 
ing .individual either unconsciously as habits or consciously as rational 
or emotional motives. 

The es- T/e have already seen that there is definite pleasure, satis- 

thetic f£,ction and attractiveness connected with the gratification of 

arg'Uaant. all the desires and appetites of men. We have also seen that 

these comforts are not, in m.y evolutionary or biological sense, 

the primary fact in the reflex or impulse or behavior. The 
primary result is securing behavior which is adaptive, pragmatic. Th.e 
significance of the pleasure is that it stamps in and makes habitual the 
behavior. Now, it is from these emotional elements of attractiveness, of 
pleasure, of acitisfaction that both the general sense of the beautiful and 
our particular standards of beauty arose. It is not surprising, in the 
liglit of this vivid, pleasure giving and enlarging approach to life, that 
many should erect the appreciation and search for satisfaction and "beauty" 
as the prime object of life and behavior. Out of this emphasis grows the 
cult which condemns pragmatism,, utility, restraint, moralities, and tlie 
like, as "puritanic", kill-joy and Philistine; viiioh preaches pleasure and 
beauty for their own salre. Applied to sex this view would exalt the plea- 
sures and happinesses that connect with sex above the evolutionary and 
social uses and values of sex itself. It v.oxald make a partition of life, 
and try to gain its beauty apart from its reality, adjustment, and truth* 
It would seem truer proportion rather to make first emphasis upon the 
individual and social objectives which our observation and reasoning 
would seem to find in th^s sex evolution and then to support these consciou- 
ly, as uaconscious nature seems to hava done all along, by the beauties 
and satisfactions insofar as this can 1© done without destroying or de- 
grading the evolutionary ends. Beauty and enjoyment as an aid to right 
adaptation furnish a iiarvelous motive. As a chief end of existence they 
are very partial and choddjr. so to conceive them v/ould seem to destroy 
the very evolution of viiich tiiey are the''golden egg"» 



43, 

Is sex As indicated teforo, sex intercourse is the completely 
intercourse normal physic-1 culmincition of the clian-reflexes v^ttioh 
biologi- rrijiy be included under the term "courtship", and is the 
cally natural ■biological expectation of any sexually mature 
necessary? individual, animal or human, Tliere is, however, abso- 
lutely no scientifically tested facts which support the 
occasional claim that sexual intercoutse is either 
necessary to pliysical health or contributes in any way to physical 
sexual development. As a niatter of fact, the claim is so obviously 
coupled with selfish desires and calculated to cater to them that it 
has the nature at once of special pleading. Aside from the fact that 
there is no efidonce for it, the probabilities are against the idea 
from every biological consideration. I^ thu first place, the repro- 
ductive, and 3e:<ual functions are not in any sense self-preservative, 
biologically » as hunger is. ^hey arc v/holly race-preservative', 
functions. Kie appetites and desires connected with them, therefore, 
lead not to individual preservation but to the building up of the 
species. In the second place, the development of the sex structures 
and the stimulative influence of the sex secretions upon bodily and 
mental development proceed with full effectiveness during all the forma- 
tive years, when there is no possibility of any individual sex expression 
of this sort. There is no likelihood that intercourse should suddenly 
become necessary, to carry on the v'ork thus effectively done. In the 
third place, in so far as biological tensions arise in connection vi th 
sex desires which do not culminate in intercourse, there are wholly 
natural devices, such as general exercise, or seminal emissions which 
prevent or reduce these strains. Any justification of sex Indulgence 
must be made on grounds other than that it is biologically necessary. 

Is sex Is it necessarily injurious emotionally to interrupt 
intercourse the normal course of sex companionship between men and 
necessary v/oraen, when once started, short of the biological animal 
to climax? This question is at once one of the most vital 

emotional and most difficult that can be asked about sex. The 
health? best evidence that v;e seem to have at the present moment 

indicates that any of the sex processes and relations 

from mere companionship of the sexes, through all the 
forms or stages of courtship and affection, to sex intercourse itself 
may be controlled and denied in such ways as to create in the individual 
most vmhe^-lthy emotional states. Of course exactly the same thing may 
be said with respect to the indulgence of ai\v of our strong^ pleasure- 
giving desirs.-s, whether these are among the basic instincts or are 
merely acquired desires and habits. That is to say, - v;e can so react 
to any disappointment, however trivial, in such a way as to be injured 
by it. There is, however, no convincing evidence that abstinence from 
any indulgence which is not biologically essential to the individual, is 
in itself physiologically or psychol£>g:^cally iinwholesome. apart from the 
methods of securing the abstinence . For example, many of the psycho- 
analysts are holding that unmarried men and women who are abstinent 
Hhow a high percentage of mental tensions, in bad orientations, and 
neuroses. Even assuming that they are correct in regarding these 
as the result of sex complexes, they have by no means cohclusive evi- 
dence tliat these strains are due to the mere lack of physical inter- 
course. They may rather be due to the lack of the v/hole normal 
and inspiring intimacies and interests of the married life which 



44. 

less is it evident that the methods 'by which oontinence has 
usually "been secured in the unnarriec'. rather xhan tbe mere fact of 
continence are not responsible for any maladjustments. The really 
essential question is: - can sex control to the point of ahsvinenoe 
"be secured in such a wajr as to be psychologically harmless? \7e have 
no compelling final ansv/er to the question. But the evidence seems 
to point to an affirmative answer, if the method of education is 
sound. 

The home Before we can properly ansv;er the other questiotis raised on 
and its p. 35 it will be necessary to examine briefly the accepted 
meaning. conditions of sex life and reproductive processes among 

peoples ;vho have given most conscious attention to these 

matters. Founded in the devotion of the mother to her 
children and on the long period of infancy and childhood through which 
they must be cared for, supported by the more and more binding and 
permanent devotion of the male for his mate and of the father for the 
children, and supplemented by many other secondary factors, the home 
has been gradually evolved. The home is doubtless the m.ost successful 
social contrivance which has yet appeared-. It has probably done more 
to advance the possibility of a civi]ized society than any oiher fact 
in our v/hole evolution. It is assumed in all this discussion that 
its best points must be preserved and improved, with this possible \vp- 
ward racial evolution very consciously in mind. The home at once pro- 
duces, educates, and motivates offspring, increases the sympathies of' 
parents, enlarges the sex\ial love and happiness of mates beyond any 
other device which hwaanity has worked out. On v/hat mental states 
does its preservation and betterment rest? Obviously these depend upon 
love, mutual faiithfulness and confidence of the mates, upon intelligent 
tenderness and devotion of parents .toward children, and upon democratic, 
confident participation, by the children in the spirit of this gcoup 
and in its satisfactions and obligations.. Any attitudes or conduct 
which war against the best development of these qualities and relations 
are inimical to the home. 

The form In what ways have these factors worked out in the making 
which of the home? After experimenting with all possible sexual, 
this home Reproductive and child-rearing combinations the general 
has taken, evolution has been tov/ard a horn.© bui3.t upon formal marriage, 

one man and one wom.an., and joint responsibility for the 

rearing of children. This marriage is theoretically held 
to be a permanent contract for life implying mutual obligations of mates 
and joint obligations to society, and is to be dissolved only under 
conditions which destroy its integrity by destroying the spirit men- 
tioned before. It is only fair to say that this home, while often 
found in its highest possible form, is in the majority of cases not 
fully realized. This ideal of the home is supported by most religious 
groups as a divine ideal. 



45. 

IVhat sex This monogamous home is supposed to rest upon certain 
attitudes conceptions and practises of sex life. For example, it 
are pre- assumes complete sesxial faithfulness of "both as necessary 
supposed to its success. Among those v/ho regard it most highly 
by the it also assumes sexual abstinence before marriage on the 
home? part both of husband and wife, and such sexual guidance and 

control betv/oen mates in marriage as shall best serve the 

m.utual confidence, happiness and health of the mates. Side 
by side v;ith this attitude, hoxvever, there has always been a claim by 
men, which has been more or less accepted by woman, that men should 
not be held to as strict standards of sex behavior as v/omen should; 
that men are so different from women biologically that they cannot be 
held to the same standards of continence. The biological and economic 
aspects of the home will not be considered here. For further dis- 
cussion of the subject see Chapter VII, 

Are con- The term continence is variously used. Perhaps it is 
tinence ordinarily used by those who advocate it as meaning ab- 
and ab- s tinence before marriage, faithfulness in marriage, and 
stinence temperance during marriage. Possibly the term might better 
possible? be used to describe a temperate use of the sex function 

under all circumstances. Certainly in this latter sense 

few would deny that continence is a perfectly desirable 
thing, and a possible thing to all people who are of a medium intel- 
lectual and emotional balance, or above. Possibly it would have to 
be said that there is about one-third of the population, whose 
mentality and sense of social responsibility are not of a sufficiently 
developed type to make voluntary, temperate use of the sex appetite 
possible at any time, - to say nothing of voluntary total abstinence. 

Abstinence , used in this connection, means complete sex 
denial, so far as intercourse is concerned, except in v.'edlock. Ab- 
stinence through long periods of time has been shown to be perfectly 
possible in individual cases and not in itBelf injurious to individual 
or social health. V/e have nothing whatever to indicate that such 
restoaint is not possible to the average or normal human being. \7e 
have many evidences that the differences among average people in this 
respect arise from differences in point of view growing out of 
education. 



Are con- Host students of the problem would agree that continence, 
tinence in the sense of moderation, is desirable in this as in 
and ab- other forms of self indulgence both in marriage and out 
stinence of it. Is a temperate indulgence of sex undesirable 
desirable? before marriage or outside of wedloclc during marriage? 

Some thinkers make a distinction between adolescent young 

people and mature unmarried people, on the ground that 
any sex intercourse nay interfere with normal development before 
complete maturity, but not be injurious later. There seems to be no 
sufficient data to support this distinction. There is no more actual 
evidence that occasional sex intercourse is physiologically harmful 
to a growing boy than when older. Over-indulgence may well be v;orse 
for him in various v/ays. It must. I think, be adm it *:ed frankly that 
any grounus ^or se - v;:,'^ '/-:. 'clnence of a.../iairiv.d ^oOpxc;. youriger or older , 
are not biological - but social and dlhical . 



46. 

•Vliat are Aa has been pointed out before, reproduction is a matter 
the real of social rather than individual bearing. The same is 
groimds of true of all the eex expressions including intercourse 
abstinence? (except in masturbation). There is no scientific justlfi- 

cation for trying to consider either reproductive or 

sexual tendencies as a merely individual group of im- 
pulses or privileges* In sex relations no less than in reproduction, 
two or more people are always involved directly, and society at large 
is equally so by way of its own self-protection and development. If 
abstinence is desirable or necessary it is because of the effects of 
sex behavior upon the home and upon the emotions in the Individual 
on which it is based and by means of which alone it can be developed, 
and upon the larger society which depends on the home, ITo device 
has yet been demonstrated or even suggested which approaches monoga- 
mous homes as a means of producing and educating nev; members of society, 
xuhile allowing the normal sex sati section and development of parents; 
and this is true in spite of the fact that the full ideals of monogamy 
are imperfectly realized. The efficiency of the home in this particular 
is dependent more upon the sound adjustment of the sex factor than 
upon any other elements v/hat^^^soever, important though they m.ay be. 
This factor of genuine home-maMng demands complete mutual confidence, 
trust, love and faithfulness, if observation upon successful homes, 
broken homes, and the portrayal of these in the historic and ideal 
literature of the race count for anything. These necessary feelings 
of confidence, between mates cannot be complete and perm anent and of 
a uniformly positive, constructive nature unless mates can believe 
in and are willing to practise abstinence for the sake of this ideal 
before marriage and full faithfulness during raarriags. The necessity 
of these attitudes has not come about by artificial convent! c'.:.s, 
springing from superficial elements, but they rest in essential bio- 
logical and psychological facts. For example, the emotional state 
which we call jealousy is not a human invention. It is an old 
biological check on promiscuity. It has had much to do with the 
evolution both of the higher aspects of love and of the monogamous 
hovae . 

Partial It is only fair to state that there are two diametrically 
versus opposed views as to the meaning and results of the practif?-: 
full cal failure and evasions of the ideals of the completely 
monogamy monogamous life, as seen in amateur and professional 

prostitution. There are those v/ho seem to believe that 

monogamy is made workable at all only because we do not 
completely live in it; because of the "liberalism" which frankly allows 
and justifies the relaxation. There are, on the contrary, those con- 
fident enough in the social meaning of faithfulness and of personal 
restraint for the sake of this social goal to hold that these depart- 
ures are weaknesses and not strengths. They believe that the only 
cure for the ills of monogamy is a more full and appreciative accept- 
ance both of its privileges and restraints. The testing of these 
conflicting opinions vdll doubtless be a battle ground of the future. 



47, 

Suppose Even if it should "be proved that there are some dangers 
individual to the emotional life of the individual coiTiinfj from con- 
interests trol or denial of desires, after v;e have done the "best 
and social possible to get control in the most \7holesone v;ays; and 
welfare if the gratification of these desires should endanger 
conflict? vital social institutions upon which human progress depend, 

V7hat attitude shall we take tov/ard the question of sex 
indulgence? If sex denial produces strains in some individuals v/ho 
are not married; and if sex indulgence by unmarried people or by 
married people out of wedloclc injures the home, in \7hat spirit can 
this sex tangle be solved? Broadly we say v/ithout hesitation that v;e 
have come to the place in progress where individual provilege and 
comfort must give way for the social good if social evolution is im- 
portant. To be sure the very most constructive way must be foimd to 
bring this about. Ifmh of the remainder of this book is a discussion 
of the bearings of this point of view. 

What then In respect to impulses which have not only made society 
may be itself but have also tended more and more to make the 
regarded individual social, we must hold that the best hui'nan evolu- 
as "sound" tion must be tov/ard their more perfect application to 
sex usage? social welfare and development . All use of reproductive 

^ and sex impulses should more and more gxit social advance 

before individual gratification. Because these impulses 
have made the home, the family and home become the controlling factor 
in determining what is soiind and what unsound about sex behavior. In 
our opinion both social health and social evolution center in this 
beginning place of human heredity and education; and in turn sex 
education, character and sex control determine the health of Cuture 
homes. If one adopts hunan rather than animal standards of sex 
conduct, one may sum-aarize his limitations somewhat as follows: 
Sex intercourse may not be indulged to the degree of license under 
any conditions; nor can it be honorably indulged, if 1) it involves 
the danger of personal or social injury of another for one*s ov/n 
gratification; if 2) it lowers one»s o\7n higher esthetic, social 
and moral appreciation of the self or of another; if 3) we are un- 
willing to grant to all other persons the same privileges we claim 
for ourselves; or if 4) the general indulgence by every one, both 
males and female^, in the privileges we claim for ourselves V70uld 
injure the social and racial development or undermine the confidence 
necessary to form successful homes. 



How has 

emotional 

and • 

spiritual 

progress 

come 

about? 



There is a reassuring evolutionary fact which needs to be 
considered by those who demur at giving up personal sex 
gratification for the sake of the deveD.opment of a social 
institution and a social- future, a11 progress v/hich in- 
dividuals themselves have made away from depending upon 

the gross and self -limited animal gratifications_^for 
their happiness lias cone about by just tnis fighting, 
mastering, and giving up of the more animal and instinc- 

tive indulgences for finer forms of satisfaction. The 

finer pleasure of the joys of sharing could never have arisen unless 
some human beings had been willing to forego some of the selfish 
pleasure of devouring all they had. The mutual delight of huxian love 
and companiontiLlp baceu x^-goa faithfulness and ae-vocion could never 



48. 

have "become possible unless some huiiaan beings had refused to gratify 
their lusts as they arose. There is. no other v;av either of personal 
refinement or of social progress exoept throwrh the sublimation of 
a part of the animal desires * This is not confined to sex satie- 
faction; but we have no evidence that sex is any exception to the 
rule. Our problem is to master our over-charged appetites in such 
ways that both social welfare and individual development in happiness 
may be secured. 



49, 



Chapter IV. Sex and Character . 

Have we Lany leo.(3ers who have been followinc these statements will 
been doubtless "be thinking something like this: "Does the 
omitting writer mean to say that there is nothing in our hunan 
character? lives but these biological and psychological elements 

Vvhich have been mentioned? Does he not recognize the 

power of moral qualities, of faith, of a sense of obliga- 
tion, of character, and of religion? And if these things are real and 
influential in life, must our sex qualities and behavior not be guided 
rather by these than by the mere biological and psychological facts?" 
The writer hastens to ansv;er that he both recognizes all these hun:an 
elements and regards them of the very greatest iraportcance in this 
issue. 

Two views . Inhere are among human thinkers today, however, two rather 
of human distinct ways of looking at such questions, in the first 
life, place there are those who seek to treat h-oman character 

and personality as some mystical and supernatural entity 

which is in some way aloof from and independent of the 
physical and physiological basis of our lives. Such people feel that 
these spiritual qualities are too high and fine to be anchored pri- 
marily in the biological complexes and that they are chiefly to be 
influenced and perfected by methods which science as such cannot 
reach. On the other hand there are many of the keenest human investiga- 
tors who go to the other extreme and say that there is probably nothing 
in all our human nature which could not be explained by applying the 
physical and chemical phenomena and "lav;s", if we only understood 
these fully. 

It is, of course, not possible, that both of these views can be correct; 
and yet it is quite possible that both are wrong! V.hile such a book 
as this is no place to discuss these extreme theories of human nature 
at length, any v/riter on sex subjects must keep at least one eye upon 
each of these points of viev;, because there is doubtless some truth 
in both, and sex has a way of reaching out and including the most 
material and physical phenomena and equally of connecting itself with 
the most I'ational, emotional and un-material inssues of our lives. 
As a matter of fact there are inner human aspirations, powers, motives 
and foresights which no biology now explains and which would not be 
.explar'.ned even if we could adequately resolve thera into chemical and 
physical elements. Equally, as a matter of fact, we do not in 
practice ever find these unexplainable vai-^material human pov/ers 
operating apart from these basic biological and psychological factors. 

Is it not good sense then to recognise both of those sets 
of seeming facts and do our best to find how a'ad to what extent they 
may be used most wisely to gu;ide and control the inner life of the 
jadividual, his behavior, and the complex relations of v/hich he is a 
part? And not deny on one hind that our higher qualities are signifi- 
cant in themselves, nor hoia on the other that only supernatural 
methods can reach and influence them. 



50. 

The "raw In the spirit, then, of this combination of tv;o points of 
naterials" view, we nust insist that the biological and psychological 
of and social considerations of sex of which we have been 
character, speaking are not alien to "character" and to the "spiritual" 

, nature of man* Indeed they are the very stuff of which 

character is made. It is now our task to try to see what 
are some of the elements in hximan personality and character, and hov; 
these are related to the sex qualities. 

Character One of our mistakes is to imagine that character is a 
negatively definite, exact and stable unit or entity. It is very 
considered, complex, and like our complex bodies it is continually 

changing as the parts change of v/hich it is composed. 

And yet there _is a unifying use or function about 
character. It involves the bringing together of our various powers 
and tendencies and activities into a more or less harmonious relation; 
furthermore, it tends, like memory, to perpetuate itself and become 
habitual in the very act of harmonizing its parts. In using the term 
"it" in these sentences we are in danger of denying our own statement 
that character is a natural mixture rather than a supernatural unit; 
nevertheless we run coionter to all that we learn of ourselves through 
self-examination if we ignore the fact that v/e do build up within 
ourselves by the very act of living a special personal one-ness, v/hich 
even outsiders can recognize, by which v/e master situations as they 
arise. 

Character, as we are using the term, does not consist 
merely of the stimuli and the sensations v/e get from the outside v/orld; 
it is not the behavior or conduct which we produce; it is not the ner- 
vous structures that lie betv/een and connect these sense organs and 
the muscles, nor is it the mere passage of nervous impulses along these 
connectives. It is a state or attitude of ourselves v/hich accepts or 
rejects stimuli, and approves or disapproves sensations, and in some 
degree determines v/hat our behavior shall be under these conditions. 
'It may do all of these things before the events themselves happen. 
Character is certainly influenced by both stimuli and our own behavior, 
and by everything therefore v;hich enters into our behavior. Character 
is best expressed perhaps by saying it is that mixture of openness, 
of appreciations, desires, habits, standards, disposition, sympathies, 
loves, ideals, sense of duty, motives, attitudes, and purposes which 
determine what choices and conduct shall be adopted by one of us 
under the various conditions which incite us. Character, therefore, 
is pragmatic, practical, importar^t. Its value rests in the degree to 
which it ad.iusts the person satisfyingly to what is most, significant 
in his life and his surroundings . Clearly some of these inner condi- 
tions v/hich enter into and help to determine character are inherited. 
Many more of them are the result of experience and training. Let us 
see something of the adjustments in which character has a part. 

V/hat are In lower animals, as we have seen, success and comfort 
man's - oome when the organism is adjusted to external physical 
essential and chemical and organic forces v/hich surround it, and 
adjust- when its ov/n organs are in harmonious v/orking order, 
ments? The^e adjustments are apparenLiy -ui.c^.e r^A-xexly and un- 
consciously in large degree. In man these same adjust- 
ments must still be made; but they become much more 
complex and more keenly sensed or appreciated. They are made up. 



51. 

in man, 1) of reflex and automatic unconscious adjustments in every 
way similar to those in lo\7er animals; 2) of more or less clearly 
conscious operations, v/ith and vv'^ithout purpose or reason; 3) of partly 
conscious (remembered) remains of past experiences; and 4) of remains 
of past states whicli have passed wholly into \inconsciousness. (Preud 
and his follo^vers are claiming that this last group of elements is in 
many ways much more important in character than we have believed it 
to be). These general types of adjustment nay be classed thus:- 

1. Adjustment to one's fellows (social); 

2. Adjustment to the imiverse order as this appeals to 
consciousness; 

3. Adjustment to the "make-up" of one's own nature, un- 
conscious and conscious. 

Our ad- There are no animals which do not show some power of 
justments adjustment to other members of their own species. These 
to our adjustments are at first reflex and simple and in large 
fellows. degree determined by stimuli from outside the individual, - 
as when two one-celled animalcules mate. They are some- 
what more complex when bison or cattle collect in herds 
for food, companionship and protection. Gradually they become still 
more complex and conscious and their actions more determined by in- 
ternal states - "character" - in the individual , These social 
adaptations include adjustment to friends, to enemies, mates, off- 
spring, parents, and involve such inner states as indifference, 
sympathy, liking, hatred, rivalry, fear, attraction and repulsion, 
superiority, and inferiority, love, devotion, care, forethought, and 
many others. Two things will at once be seen from this list of 
qualities, - ^vhat a part sex and reproduction play in this field of 
social adjustment, and how these sex emotions enter into the 
"spiritual" life and character of the individual. Out of these 
relations and the personal emotions that animate them spring our 
families and homes, general human associations, social play and 
amusements, business, and all sorts of social services. Persoral 
character as it applies itself to social relations ranges from sacri- 
ficing to exploiting, from altruistic to selfish, from service to 
corapetit-ion, - and \7ith all degrees of mixture of these. Here is 
a point at which personal character directly influences social ethics, 
morals, sense of obligation, philosophy of life, and religion. From 
these relations has come the evolution of nan's sense and standards 
of beauty, justice, duty, right, fairness, honor, and the like, all 
of which are important elements in his human character. 



Ti/hat are 
our ad- 
justments 
to the 
universe 
order? 



beauty, ri 
conception 



The loi7er organisms as well as men must adjust themselves 
to the sheer physical and chemical surroundings. But man, 
in doing this,, has come to do more. By his growing powers 
of knowing, recalling, comparing, discriminating, and 
reasoning, he has gradually discovered certain apparent 
causes and effects and order in nature, in society, and 
in his own processes. From these he gets soiae of his 
notions of power, reality, truth, cause and effect, law 
ght, justice, God, and obligation. It is in part from T^uch 
s as there fb-^.t ^e have ':uil'- oui- syj^^ms ^1 science. 



52. 

philosophy, ethics, and religion. All of those elements of ^'^owth in 
huiaan character are the outcome of the effort of the conscious human 
mind to adjust itself to the order and nature of the universe about it 
as revealed by experience. Of course our adjustments to our own kind 
may be included here. It is peculiarly the field in v/hich intel3igence 
and reasoning arise and play their great part. The above list of 
qualities growing out of human experience is a tribute both to the 
wonderful universe and to the abilities of man which are thus far its 
masterpiece. While these high characteristics of man are doi;btless 
as natural and as due to orderly operations as the senses of touch and 
taste, there is not the remotest probability that they will ever be 
"explained" by the physical and chemical processes. 

'.Vhat do we Even in the lov;er animals v;e knov/ tliat there must be, for 
mean by success and. comfort, a reasonably harmonious working to- 
adjustment gather of the organic parts. The more complex the organism 
to one's the more necessary this is and the more difficult. This 
own inner general bodily and mental adaptation and harmony v.'e think of 
nature? as a mark of health. It is necessary for comfort. There is, 

however, for us human beings a somewhat deeper meaning to 

this adjustment of the various and complex qualities of the 
conscious and unconscious person. Persons of the same species may war 
against one another, and this warfare may result in a certain degree of 
progress by the destruction of the poor individuals. Such destructive 
rivalry among the longings and beliefs and satisfactions in a conscious 
individual always produces a state of tension and dlsoomfort; and just 
as a thoroughly "conscious" society might seek to bring its v;arring 
members into harmony, even more inevitably an individual must find ways 
to adjust and harmonize these inner claims upon it. Such adjustment is 
necessary for comfort and happiness. Even more than in the other two 
classes of adjustments, which we have seen to mould character, this 
inner adjustment both measures and determines character. For example, 
if we are to preserve any sort of personal integrity and self-respect, 
our own personal nature cannot continually belie our moral and religious 
philosophy. Our actual hahavior cannot regularly depart from our 
standards and ideals. One or the other will have to yield. There will 
be an adjustment of the tensions and differences by lov/ering one or 
raising the other. This is peculiarly the field of character .- of 
personal ethics, of conscience and sense of duty, of personal morals and 
personal religion. Ve are just beginning to understand to what extent 
sex influences this wonderful inner field of conflict and adjustment 
which is so vital to character, ffere again Freud and the analytic 
psychologists have sho\m us how sex elements, both conscious and un- 
conscious, because of their very power and pervasivenss and affinity v;ith 
the rest of our nature, combine with many other interests which are not 
primarily sexual. The result doubtless enriches character, but it also 
makes it very subject to perversion and makes doubly necessary that we 
shall better understand the sex elements in life if we are to got the 
most sound human inner adjustment of needs and behavior. 



53. 

Sunmary of These three main typec of adjustment and their interplay 
certain fac- give rice therefore to the very varied and massive interests 
tors in char- and attitudes vjithin personality v/hich ^■'e have teen summing 
acter groving up under the term "character". These various shades and 
out of these aspects of character are concerned with intellectual and ra- 
hiological tional matters, r/ith beautiful or esthetic elements, v;ith 
adjustments, social factors, with elements of right and ethics, and v/ith 

emotional religious elements of goodness, love and devotion. 

In other v/ords the chief concerns and interests of character 
are expressed in our adaptation to these classic qualities as they relat e 
to actual life and relations; - the true , the beautiful , the right , the good , 
It is scarcely a matter of debate that hxmanity has reached a point v/here 
these are real, fairly general, and reasonably permanent and conscious clc- 
mente in either our individual or our social attitudes, or in both. It is 
our v/ish now to see to what extent sex and reproduction seem to influence 
and be influenced by these aspects of human character. 

Sex and IThile there is a general impression that the intellectual 
the intellec- qualities of men and women differ soraev/hat, there seem to be 
tual elements no very profound or permanent intellectual differences between 
in oharaoter them, which may not be explained by differences in opportimity 

,.,,.. , and social training. However there is shov/n to be a connection 

between intellect and sex in the fact that boys and girls 
develop their powers, knowing and reasoning, at different rates during pub- 
erty and adolescence. Furthermore the degree and quality of intelligence 
have some effect upon the selection of mates and on the proper production 
and care of children, Doubtlesj also intellectual powers and the actual 
loiowledge possessed helps in some degree to determine the attitude of the 
individual tov/ard. the control or abuse of the sex function? and tov/ard the 
disease, disgrace and unhappiness associated with these. 

Nevertheless it must be admitted that the evolution of sex and 
of sound character in relation to sex is much more closeljr connected vdtla 
the emotions than with intellect and loiowledge. This by no moans implies 
that intelligence may not cperate to guide the motives for better use and 
control of sex, but that it is less organically connected with sex, than 
arc esthetic, social, ethical, and religious qualities. 

Sex and Philosophers have long argued about the origin and meaning 
the of our esthetic sense and our particular and varying standards 

esthetic of beauty. Whatever other elements enter into it there is no 
faot^rc '. qtcotion that the sense of beauty arises about those processes 
in and conditions which are biologically attractive and give 

ch?-racter. pleasure and satisfactions. For example, esthetic or satis- 

fying feelings arise about snoll v.hich attracts to food, and 

taste v/hich accompanies the satisfactions of eating; about 
light v/hich in intensity or color is highly attractive to many animals. In 
the attractions of sex and mating we have in aninals most interesting com- 
binations of odor, form, color and sound, v/hich give notice to the other 
sex and furnish the keenest sorts of satisf actior.c clustering about the actof 



54. 

mating and the refleices of courtship leading up to it. Among the lower (Drgaruars 
it is not too much to say that the first forms of attraction which we 
discover between raembors of the same species are those leading to 
mating. Development of a. sense of attractiveness (or beauty) and the 
first forir of attractiveness consciously felt by one organism for 
another of the same species w.i.s connecten with sex. In addition to this, 
the sexual act is coupled v/ith the keenest anticipations and satisfac- 
tions which the higher animals know. Important though all this may be in 
the evolution of the esthetic tastes, it is further true that man, for 
untold generations, has associated beauty very consciously and intimately 
with sex; and color, form, feature, movement, strength, vigor, voice, and 
the like hive long been to us estnetic elements in sex attraction. 
Artists in painting, sculpture and literature have long used these sex 
factors to express and to arouse feelings of beauty. Similar objective 
factors can be shown to be means of sex recognition and attraction in 
animals from the insects upv;ard. 

In such a structure as a flower also, which is merely a 
device for sexual fertilization through the agency of insects, v.-e our- 
selves recognize and appreciate attractiveness of form, color, and odor 
in organisms infinitely below us in organization, ^11 these elements 
have developed in the flower in connection with reproduction and sex* 

In man the esthetic appreciation of attractiveness in sex 
does not stop v;ith these simpler sensuous elements. Through our intel- 
ligence and our social sense, the satisfactions and attractions of woman- 
liness as a spiritual ideal give a special and exalted sex flavor to 
association and friendship between men and women. We discover beauty in 
special mental, emotional, social differences between men and women. 
Because of these differences the emotional attractions and the distinctive 
manly and womanly way of expressing these add greatly to the range of 
beauty and to the appreciation and taste for it among human beings. These 
differences and attractions are just as really sexual, of course, as are 
the attractive bodily qualities and have grovm out of them originally. 

The sense When this esthetic sense, originating in sex, has once been 
of beauty enriched by our social, intellectual, rational, ethical and 
applied religious qualities, our standards of beauty and our satis- 
outside faction in these come to include the most abstract and 
the realm seemingly unrelated things, - as truth, justice, fairness, 
of sex. honor, love, devotion, democracy, and all those considera- 

tions v/hich in theory or practice give us pleasure. While 

these ideals may or may not be related to sex in* themselves, 
the point is that it is largely through the sex attractions and the ' ' : 
relations and emotions and satisfactions which have developed about them, 
that our capacity for feelings of beauty has come to the point where these 
more abstract qualities can appeal to us. If the gense of attractivenees 
and of beauty had not developed, we could not have present standards of 
beauty about these higher things. 



55. 

Sel and Sex and reproduction, as we saw in Chapter ll., are in a 
the very peculiar way processes which malce. society by producing 
evolution the units of which it is composed; which furnish the 
of the differences and attractions that bring together the mates ' 
social in these social functions; and which supply the emotional 
elements desires and satisfactions that have led human beings into 
in . life-mating, into conscious care and education of their 
character, children, and into adapting the social instrument of the 

home and family to secure these results. Aside from these 

basal biological attractions, a whole series of social and 
anti-competitive elements that have had a most profound influence upon 
evolution have been introduced into personal character by means of 
sexual reproduction. Some of these are: consideration, sympathy, 
confidence, trust, serviceableness and spirit of sacrifice, love, con- 
stancy and devotion. To be sure these have been of grad^xal development. 
At first they v/ere felt and exercised only for mates and children, and 
for these only during the sexual season, ilraong human beings in v.hich 
infancy is long these sentiments slowly become more lasting. Later 
still, by extending them to brothers and sisters, something of these 
sentiments have entered into the general evolution of humanity. Coming 
as a by-product of our physical sex and reproduction these elements 
give us the most exalted^ .joys we humans have. 

Prom the biological point of view it is safe to say that 
these eraiotional aspects of character v;hich have arisen out of sex and 
reproduction and have been further developed in the practice of these 
sex-social functions, have contributed more than increasing intelligence 
has done to limit and soften the competitive struggle for existence 
which has dominated so much of animal progress. If we ever escape from 
this struggle of force, in politics and in industry, it v/ill be only 
by extending generally these same sentiments and ideals first seen in 
the family life. And only by doing so can v;e develop a real humane 
society. 

Sex in Coming from the social situations pictured briefly in the 
social preceding paragraph certain aspects of the sense of right 
ethics, and goodness have arisen, just as we saw the sense of 

beauty to arise. These relations of the mates to each other 

and of the parents to the children and of the children to 
one another, in an atmosphere and in physical circumstances where at 
least something of selfish competition was removed and something of 
consideration and mutual helpfulness was possible, developed Vegj nnings 
of social sense, fairness, restraint of desire other than by force, 
justice, obligation, and the like. These fine character-faccors in 
social ethics, which are close both to the taste for beauty and to the 
social aspects of religion, owe a great debt to the impulses and points 
of view that arise in these fundamental social ftmctions growing 
directly out of sexual reproduction. 

Sex and Religion is obviously not something wholly different from 

the "the things we have already been speaking of. It certainly 

religious includes intellectual and esthetic and social and -^thical 

•^ elements. It has to do with our adjustments to fkfi ■ 

aspec s tmlversa, including God as essential in it; with our 

. . adjustments to human beings and the rel^*-^on^. depending 
w[^on thera, Uiiu with our own inner lo'cal integrity. Is 



— ' '■ there anything else left? In discussing religion we are 

not speaking at all of the organizations that have grov.n 
out of religious impulses. Religion, in a strict sense, is neither 



56, 

th.e organized dogmz or theology, nor the organized church. These 
nay crystallize the philosophy of it and spread it; but religion is 
prii-narily personal. It is a capaioity of personality; and aspect of 
character. V/e are only trying here to relate the religious nature 
with the rest of our nature. 

This religion of the individual is hardly to be conceived 
of as a natter of the senses, or desires, or knowledge and "beliefs, 
or feelings, or wonder and v/orship, or love and sacrifice, or "beauty, 
or obligation and abediende, or conscience, or decision and conduct. 
It is rather a synthesis and unifyiiig of all these and nanv other 
states so that they are soundly and effectively balanced . It is 
rather a structure and attitude of personality v/hich refuses to be 
stampeded by a single desire of sensation; which does not allow present 
and temporary comforts to dominate permanent values; v/hich seeks 
wholeness of life and personality by a right combination of all the 
elements of desire, knowledge, hope and faith, purpose and devotion; 
which ignores no vital part of the universe. Religion means a balance, 
a poise, a sense of proportion and of relative values v*iich organize, 
uses and controls the issues of life for the universe and not for 
merely selfish ends. 



Has sex 
and re- 
production 
contri- 
buted to 
the 

religious 
nature? 



The development of individual human beings seems to show 
clearly that there is a close correlation betv/een the 
onset of the sex nature and our openness to the feelings 
and motives found in religion. V/e ioiow that the develop- 
ments during puberty and adolescence do inspire and 
increase v;ithin the youth personal ideals, a social 
sensitiveness and humaneness, and appreciations of the 
larger meanings of the universe; and at this period these 
tend to be gathered up into a personal philosophy of life 
more than at any other period until old age. Apparently 
this close connection of sex and appreciation for those basic things 
which make religion is not an accident. The sex development of the boy 
or girl at its best seems, closely and naturally connected vith the 
whole range of emotions, appreciation, understandings, aspirations, 
satisfactions, outlooks, hopes, devotions, and purposes which are the 
essense of the religious nature. 

It is equally true that the oevelopment of our human reli- 
gions and theologies have historically been influenced profoundly at 
many points by the emotions underlying sex and the relations and 
expressions of sex. 



Do the in- If the sexual and reproductive processes have thus con- 
tellectual, tributed to those elements of personal character v;hich we 
esthetic, have spoken of as esthetic, social, ethical and religious, 
social and in what ways can these latter motives in their turn, 
religious legitimately be used to influence the sex nature, desires 
aspects of and behavior? This manual is not the place for a full 
character discussion of the philosophy of this interesting question; 
aid in sex tut it is necessary to see at least the outlines of an 
guidance? answer, because it is just here that our only hope of a 
solution of huraan sex problems must lie. 



57, 

',7e have already seen that the nere instincts that are 
conneoteJ with hunger, greed, conpetition, and sex do not carry for 
human beings their automatic guidance and control. Our conscious 
evolution has made the.n too appealing to be left to mere desires. 
Furthermore we have seen that there is no merely physiological or 
biological reason v;hy human beings may not engage temperately in 
sex intercourse at any time during nature life. Any grounds for 
control must be in these higher esthetic, social, ethical or reli- 
gious realms. Unless our consciousness then has also braught ele- 
ments of character which will successfully restrain and g^iide these 
great and over -strengthened impulses, nothing but animal debauch is 
open to us, Shere biology and physiology seem to shov; us no way out. 
Our whole hope of making sex and our other impulses human is to apply 
to them just those higher human instruinents of adjustment and control 
of v;hich we have been speaking, 

The control Apparently to tonow, by experience or observation, the 
by in- effects, of two different lines of action and to be able 
telligence. to compare the outcome of indulgence and restraint in 

them might through judgment bring an antidote to our 

over powerful desires. Intelligence, as an element in 
character, does v/ithout doubt aid in the guidance of conduct, 
I^owledge and insight are actual assets. Ignorance is not. Experi- 
ments show that more people who know the best line of conduct v;ill 
follow it than of those who do not. But there is nothing sure aleout 
it. Knowledge is not enough. Probably knowledge and ideas do not 
act directly upon conduct at all. Probably they can only start 
other desires which displace or combine with or modify the native 
impulses and desires. So apparently v/e must increase laiov/ledge if 
we would improve human sex relations. But such character-education 
is not solely, nor even chiefly a matter of information . It is very 
much more a training of desires, tastes, likes and dislikes, ideals, 
attitudes and hopes by v;ay of a combination of imov/ledge and ex- 
perience and faith. 

Esthetic The appreciations of beauty, as we have seen, are more 
elements emotional than intellectual. They relate closely to 
and sex feelings of pleasure and satisfaction, to comfort and 
guidance. happiness, to desires and tastes, and to the opposites 

of these, V/e have also noticed hov/ large a part sex 

and reproduction have contributed both to all these 
feelings of beauty and to the very sense of it, Ivov; these joys and 
attractions of beauty are so wide and varied in their range; and we 
can find beauty and satisfaction in so many kinds of things and at 
so many levels, that the feelings are peculiarly valuable to play 
off against one another in guiding choice and conduct. They are 
all priiiiarily individual and selfish of course, in that their ap- 
peal is to personal satisfaction. For this very reason they are 
po\7erful; and because beauty may be found both on high and on low 
levels there is a definite chance to grow by learninrc to substitute 
the higher beauty for the lower . Because the beauty and happiness 
of a fair, honest and clean, permanent companionship vlth one v/oman, 
taking in the whole physical, intellectual, and spiritual range of 



58, 

sex relationship is greater to those of certain degree of develop- 
ment than promiscuous contacts with many which involve little more 
than the ph/sical, there is a chance to educate the v/hole nature 
of nan to sacrifice the less for the greater behavior and satisfac- 
tions in sex. The conscious, scientific education of the esthetic 
desires and satisfactions of men offers one of the greatest hopes 
that V7e have for, a huaan evolution. It is a much more po\7erful 
motive than Imowledge and reason alone can supply. The reader must 
not confuse v;hat is said here with the anarchistic plea of "beauty 
for beauty's sake". It is a profoimdly different thing. 

The social In sharp contrast v/ith the strong motive of selfish per- 
motives in sonal desires ana satisfactions, sex and reproduction 
the wise have given rise also to the species, and to all the 
use of sex» social and unselfish motives which support the species « 

. These social prcdnots are rolatitsij'' non-competitive 

and even positively self-sacrificing. Even v/hen most 
sacrificing. ho\vever. they are not devoid of personal satisfaction . 
This combination of getting personal pleasure and sense of beauty 
from personal sacrifice is probably the "highest" motive that human 
evolution has achieve!. To learn to get happiness by giving up 
something T7e like for others pretty nearly insures a social evolution. 
Nothing else can. It is the heart of the philosophy of Jesus. 

The essense of this social motive is perhaps V7ell ex- 
pressed by our over-used term democracy . This means mutuality, free - 
don from competition and from exploitation of the weak by the strong . 
and service in proportion to strength and ability , V.hen in evolution 
the first, most primitive, social group reduced the struggle between 
individuals by beginning something of this impulse of cooperating 
for the mutual good, there began a type of evolution whose logical 
climax is the democracy suggested above. It is reassuring that more 
ani more this idea and motive of detnocracy have been working their 
way into human consciousness incite of the fact that it has to fight 
all our selfish, competitive impulses at every step. 

Clearly this sense of the worth of social sacrifice and 
democracy which is so largely the gift of the sex and reproductive 
processes, can be applied most remarkably to the guidance of sex 
iraj)ul3es themselves. To consider others, to refuse to exploit them 
for one's own gratif ic i,tion, to deny to the self any indulgence which 
would injure the social evolution, to claim no special privileges 
for the self which we would not welco.ne for everyone else, and to 
have satisfaction and pleasure in the ienial, more permanent and 
cheering than the original indulgence would furnish - will both give 
self-control of sex and allow sex to surround itself in its highest . 
gratification with all its social and spiritual products. 



39 



May PincJly, it i? uiiquestic''ia"bly true that the full view 

religion of life which v/e have called, the religious view taJcos 
properly ser. up into it along with the otiier motives, aJad helps 
influence one to fit sex behavior with integrity into one's whole 
sex in scheuie of things^ In exact proportion as one's religion 

chaj:'acter is complete rjnd gripping pjid purposeful will it make for 
rJid the sound use of all the powers and desires rnd motives 

conduct? tiiat animate us. Bie only v;ay in v/hich we humm beings 

can keep our integrity and balance in the face of our 

conflicting special desires is through just such a 
unify ii-ig religious philosopliy. Otherv/ise we are the servant merely 
of our vrl-ious appetites as they come to their maturity. To be sure, 
one's religion may be very sensuous, very superficial, very theo- 
retical, very trajnsient, very limited. But on the contrajry it may 
be spiritual, basic, practical, continuous, and all- inclusive* In 
either event its nature determines very largely hov/ the aex and 
other impulses will be used. 

In v/hat In practice the religious nature and the religious 

ways may- philosophy may be used to modify se:^ ideals and sex 
religion behavior in these wsft^s; 
operate 

to con- 1, 2!hey may be used very directly, externally, and arbi- 
trol or trarily to coradeinn and repress the sex impulses. In 
guide young and inexperienced people it is quite possible for 
sex? the nature, in the name of religion and appealing to 
fear and conscience, forcibly to repress the sex im- 
pulses, or any other emotions or appetites. Of course 
the religious qualities are not the only elements that may be so 
used for such repression. But in practice it is often combined v/ith 
other appeals to control in a repressive way tlie conduct in the 
young or fearful. Ihis use of it is cheap, as well as destructive. 
It is just as unv/holesome and dangerous to use religion to repress 
desires and conduct as it is to use any other agency in this way. 
It probably never leads to constructive ends* The only possible use 
for repressive conventions and commands and threats is fer emergen- 
cies; and then as rarely as possible. Kie hurtful effects of re- 
pression in education v/ill be discussed later (See Chapter 6) « 

2. \7e may use constructive religious ideas and motives 
in such a way as to substitute them in part at least for sexual 
expression. For example, at certain stages of life one may be so 

taken up with some of the ideas of a religious nature or with some 
of the. forms of expression in service v;hich may fairly be called 
religious, as to reduce the time and attention \^ich v;ould other- 
\.'ise be given to matters and interests of sex. It has certainly 
been shoii^m possible to fill and preempt the mind v/ith ideas and 
ideals and desires of manliness, honor, S^ht, self-control and a 
sense of the richness of these, and to substitute these aJiead of the 
need for the grosser tjrpes of sex attitude. To do this it is 
necesssJry to put these ideas in a positive and attractive form. 
Ihis use of religious ijapulses is surely more constructive end 
educati-:^, thaix to seek to repress the desires for sex and indulgence 
by feeJTs aiid threats connected vath religious ideas* 



60. 

3, V/e can also coniuine the religious notives and 
desires with the sex impulses in suoh a way as to benefit both, 
V/e have seen that many of the enotions and interests of religion 
are closely linked Vv?ith those of sex. Love of God and the universe 
are likely to be influenced by the loves of hone or the loverof 
one of the other sex. It is notably true that young peopl tend to 
love nature and hunan kind .nore as they love one another. Love of 
humanity in general and devotion to ideals of all kinds are similar- 
ly correlated with sexual love of the nore $ychical kind. Clearly 
then, these raore unselfish and religious elements nay be consciously 
used to refine sex love itself and to set sex standards which alv/ays 
include the hunan and psychical aspects of sex whenever the physical 
sex conscoiusness is fully aroused. These nore psychical forns of 
sex emotion and expression nay, through religion and the sense of 
the beautiful and true and right, at least in sone degree conbine 
with, refine, doninate and guide the lov/er. A practical illustra- 
tion of this is seen in the Young Peoples* Societies of Christian 
Endeavor and sinilar organizations. The only significant difference 
between these and segregated religious groups is this conbination 
of religious and sexual motives in personal and social expression. 
It helps, by the whole strength of religion, the nore social and 
spiritual aspects of sex satisfaction to refine and temporarily to 
give the individual control of the desire of physical indulgence. 



61« 



Chapter V, Individual and Social Hpsults of Failure t o 
Control the Sex Impulses . 



fcontrol We have already ventured to say that human control of 
from the the sex impulses is not in any large degree necessary 
physio- from a merely biological or physiological point of view, 
logical All that physiology, standing alone, can condemn in an 
point of individual is premature or excessive indulgence, - such 
viev/. indulgence as would impair physical povers. If men are 
„ animated only by motives of physical health, there is 

no reason why they should not engage in sex intercourse 
temperately and promiscuously from later adolescence onward in such 
degree as would not be actually injurious physically. 

What If, however, there is any such thing as individual 
should character; if themental, emotional and social character 
determine and relationships of people are at all determined by sex 
the degree conduct; if it is possible for one person in seeking sex 
of gratification to do injury to any other; if sex emotions 

control? and behavior influence human associations , ideals, 
, standards, institutions, welfare and evolution; if 

marriage and homes are institutions which ought to be 
preserved in sonbe effective form for the good of the species, - 
then the answer to the question o-f sex behavior cannot be given in 
such a simple and offhand way. The answer must respect all the 
considerations of personal character and social ethics which enter 
into human evolutions. Sex behavior is not only a biological and 
hygienic matter, primarily; it is no longer chiefly even an i ndividual 
matter. If society is to be preserved these ethical and social fac- 
tors must take precedence over physical and individual. 

The ■'.• On the other hand, v;ith the increasingly independent 
controls state of mind of humanity, no arbitrary rules, even if 
must be they claim supernatural sanction, v/ill serve to control 
practical sex behavior. One cannot hopefully appeal merely to 
and not authority, - whether in the commands of God, in the rules 
arbitrary of the church, in the traditions and conventions of 
or society, or in the exhortations of the parent or preacher. 

dogmatic. A large number of people, even among those who still 

sympathize with religious purposes and institutions, 

demand scientific reasons fur restraining the sex or 
other strong impulses, reasons which go back of and beneath these 
moral and social precepts. Vi/hile this tendency to force us back to 
rational and scientific grounds for sex behavior may be inconvenient 
at times to us who teach, it is none the less both v/holesome and 
right. It forces humanity to meet the truth and the spirit of life 
and continually to choose anew its course in evolution, instead of 
binding itself vdth the formal letter of tradition, which usually 
has actual basis in fact^ truth discovered in the past can be made 
really vital to the present. 



ea 



Ther. Admittini? so much to the spirit of science and reason, 

elements we have the right, however, to insist that all the im- 
in the portant hioraan factors and values in sex control shall 
problem. "be faithfully considered. Me csinnot he scientific 

and omit the social and ethical elements any more than 

we can ignore the physical and the psychological. At 
the hioman level, therefore, the problem is very complex. In the 
first place, there is the rainglinj; (often the active conflict ) of 
the personal and the social interests; and in the second place, 
there is the distinction of the inner personal sex character and 
outward personal sex conduct. 

An For example, many acute critics of our more or less 
example. arbitrary moral sex standards, rail at us as illogical 

because, in respect to sex, we emphasize and taboo the 

final physical objective act of sex intercourse between 
unmarried people while we allow and approve the various preliminary 
sex associations and privileges which normally would lead tov/ard 
and culminate in this biological act. Furthermore we incline to 
overlook the emotional and character elements which precede and 
accompany sex intercourse in any particular case, if only the form 
of it is conventional. These mental and spiritual states may be 
very gross and unworthy even in marriage, or they may be very 
exalted and humane. The formal ceremony of marriage in itself 
cannot alter either the grossness or the fineness baclc of the act. 
Concretely, they ask whether sex intercourse outside the conventions 
but accompanied by full emotional and spiritual love, is better or 
worse than mere licentious indulgence in wedlock. 

These critics are both right and wrong. They have good 
authority in the words of Jesus himself, for the view that one who 
would indulge lustfully is as bad in character as one who does so; 
and the authority of common sense for the viev; that intercourse in 
wedlock may be as gross as possible. Love is a matter of inner, 
personal attitude and character. Nevertheless, except as such 
sexual desires wotk themselves out in conduct, this inner personal 
lust does not work a social injury, hov/ever destructive it may be 
from the point of viev/ of personality. Lust in wedlock is out of 
accord with the spirit of marriage. The destruction of marriage 
would in no way eliminate the lust, or add to spiritual love. 

The In combining the personal elements of spiritual love 
personal which we approve and physical sexual desire and inter- 
elements course, which we would control, vath the social con- 
in sex vention of marriage, we have the following possibilities: 
in 

relation D Physical intercourse outside of marriage with nothing 
to of the high psychic or spiritual accompaniment vjhich we 
marriage, call "love'* and which alone can place it on a high human 

plane. This would be condemned as the corapletest possible 

prostitution of sex by all who regard h-uman life as more 
than a physical thing, 

2) Physical intercourse inside the married forms, but 
v/ithout love. Certainly so far as character is concerned this is no 
better than the preceding. Socially considered it does mark a check 



63. 

upon promiscuity . 

3) Physical intercourse which is the normal expression 
of real spiritual love of a full and complete sort, hut v7ithout the 
social sanction of formal marriage, This meets the personal elements 
completely, hut wholly ignores the interest of society in the questions 
of sex and reproduction, 

4) Physical intercourse v;Mch has the sanction both of 
personal love and the social formula of marriage. Probably most people 
who are not opposed to all standards of social control would regard 
this as the most perfect possible relation. 

Of course in practice, the relations are not so simple as 
pictured above. The psychical quality wliich we have called love varies 
greatly in its clearness and fineness v;ith the capacities of various 
human beings, and there are consequently all degrees of the mingling of 
the physical and spiritual elements in human sex relations. Out only 
alternatives are complete individual license, or control of sex re- 
lations by social rules. 

Character Clearly in such a complex as that suggested above humanity, 
versus unless it is to give itself up to anarchy, wants both that 
behavior. spiritual quality which v;ill give the highest meaning to 

sex relations and such check upon those who need guidance 

as v/ill protect society itself as much as possible, from 
harm. So far as inner integrity of individual character is concerned, it 
is only necessary that the sex behavior and the emotional and spiritual 
nature and attitudes of the individuals shall be harmonious and that 
neither shall exploit the other. The matter of the social form is in 
no way essential. But from the outside , from the point of view of society, 
we have the all important matter of behavior or conduct in relation to 
human beings of every grade, apart from the emotions of the individual. 
This behavior must be reconciled and harmonious with right inner person- 
ality for the sake of health and integrity of character; but equally 
behavior must be adjusted to general human v/elfare for social health. 
It is this external conduct, which most quickly translates itself into 
harm or good to society. It is balvavior . and not merely loose character, 
which produces prostitutes, venereal diseases, illegitimate children, 
loss of confidence, broken homes, and families, on the one hand; and 
effective home and family life, confidence ind happiness of mates, 
effective love and care and education of children on the other. 
Furthermore, conduct works back into character itself, and it is conduct , 
rather than individual character apart from conduct, which gradually 
moulds the public opinion, sentiiiit^-nts, standards, and attitudes v;ith 
regard to sex relations in society. As v;e become socially minded, our 
adjustment to the social well being becomes an important factor in 
integrity of ch>.iracter itself. 



64. 

The souree Host people who are thus socially minded and not com- 
and pletely sensual vA>uld adrnit, in the lii,'ht of such con- 
nature of siderations as these, that there must be somewhere a 
control? definite and effective control of the crude biological 

■ sex satisfactions. The point of debate may fairly be 

said to be this: - If we are seelcing to join sex 
relations with the most htunane spiritual states and ^vith the best 
production and care of children, should the control of these sex 
relations be left to the individuals concerned, v/ith freedom to 
make such shifts as time and chanf;in,3 emotions v/ould suj^cest; or 
should society control in any^vay either the formation of such re- 
lations at the outset, or after they are formed should society con- 
trol the duration of these relations? 

The obvious dan/^er of mere individual control of sex 
relations is that desire for novelty, satiety, whim, pique, mis- 
understanding's, and plain lust v;ould in practice lead to such tem- 
porary and promiscuous sex relations as to make dependable home and 
family life impossible. Every selfish premium would be put against 
permanent homes and faithfulness . If possible, since selfishness 
is always present and sex impulses so strong, we ou^ht instead to 
find ways to put the premiums upon constancy and permanence. The 
advantage of large individual freedom would be that it would practi- 
cally automatically take care of the strains of incompatible relation- 
ships. ' On the other hand the wealoiess of control of sex relations by 
society, through some such contract as pernanent marriage, is in the 
large number of misfits in which there is no real spiritual union, 
and which therefore amount to legalized prostitution so far as the 
mates are concerned, and offer no real home life to children. V/ith- 
out some such form as marriage society cannot protect itself against 
promiscuity and a reign of primitive lust. In the light of human 
evolution and the social advantage of permanent family life, it is 
only fair to conclude, whatever may be true of the personal strains 
and failures and the grossness of indulgence vmder the forms of 
marriage, that the injury to society itself is not so great from 
this as it v;ould be from granting free and irreg-ular relations be- 
tween individuals of even the most devoted character, allovang 
such free relations there would be no means whatever of testing and 
preventing the promiscuous and temporary relations of the gross. 

The fact that each method of control is weak v/here the 
other is strong sUf^gests th^^t human intelligence ."flight, by suitable 
education for marriage and by certain aid to the married, so adjust 
the individual and the social elements as to get both control and 
happiness. Society is not greatly interested in the exact form which 
marriage shall take. The essential result to be secured apart from 
the actual voluntary acceptance of one another by the mates, is 
proper home functioning . - which includes the comfort and happiness 
of all, maximum development of adults, proper child production, and 
effective personal and social education of children. These things 
can only be had by love, mutual consideration, trust and confidence, 
permanent throughout the reproductive and educative period. 



65. 

Alterna- If society does not insist in every legitimate v;ay -upon 
tives of such control as we have sug{?ested, namely, - abstinence 
control- for males and females before marriafje and constancy 

and faithfulness coupled with temperance during marriage, 

what are the alternatives? The xvhole cycle of events 
is then left to the individual and to his whims and passions. With- 
out external restraint and guidance, with personal inexperience, 
driven by the imperious desires and rewarded by the keen satisfac- 
tions of eex indulgence, we imov; every premium would be ptxt upon 
irresponsible, temporary, promiscuous sex satisfactions in such 
fashions as to avoid the permanent responsibilities. The chances 
for establishing faithful, mutually trusting raarrigges and sacri- 
ficing homes would be just as poor under such circumstances as it 
now is, under the selfish material prizes of competitive private 
profits system, to develop democratic individuals v/ho will not ex- 
ploit their fellows. That is to say, no socially minded person can 
agree to have either the business life or the sex life of htimanity 
exposed to the unregulated impulses of individuals. 

Control T/hatever may be the final solution by humanity of the 
or un- question of the control of sex behavior, it must be re- 
control, cognized that the results are obliged to be most important 

both to the individual lives and character of all con- 

CBmed, - physical, emotional, ethical and moral; and 
even more to society in the public health, public opinion, customs, 
ideals, and social welfare of the group. In the succeeding pages 
we shall enumerate some of these results. 

Objective V/e have surely been finding in this chapter that elements 
results of sex and elements of reproduction, matters of personal 
of un- welfare and of social welfare, factors of character and 
control. factors of behavior, physical elements and emotional 

elements are completely tangled in this question of 

guiding suitably the sex life and relations of humanity. 
The worst mistake we can possibley make is to imagine that we can 
cut any of these couples in two and solve the problem by considering 
one factor alone. For example, if we undertake to consider human 
love and sex behavior between individuals as merely a private affair 
to be experimented with according to their whim, - even if this 
should bring maximum individual gratification, freedom from repression, 
mental health and happiness, - we must hold nevertheless that the 
right education of public opinion, social soourity, child rearing, 
and social evolution are more important still, Ilany students feel 
that the material and objective aspects of the situation are all that 
we know well enough to have any real hope of solving; that we can 
do nothing about the more intangible elements of personal character. 
Be this as it may, we have here a group of facts most important to 
the health and welfare of individuals, of homes, and of society at 
large. They are very concrete and external, and constitute a real 
human emergency; and yet we are finding that we cannot get hold even 
of those physical and objective elements without considering the whole 
question to its most spiritual and social branchings. These practical 
problems embrace irregular sex relations (including all kinds of 
prostitutes), illegitimacy, and the exceedingly destructive venereal 
diseases which are largely kept alive and continually extended by 
promiscuous sex relations. But to control these physical phenomena 
we are compelled to include character, motives, and attitudes. 



66. 

IThe Prostitution may be putilic or clandestine, professional 
essence or amateur, permanent or occasional, promiscuous or 
of confined to one person; "but v;e are not greatly concerned 
prostitu- here v/ith technical definitions nor v/ith nice distinctions 
tion, between these types. It is of no great moment v/hether 

the irregular relation is paid for by a fee, by complete 

support, by an evening's entertainment, or merely in 
kind. These distinctions are for technical social reformers. T.'e 
need rather to discover what are, for the individual and for society, 
the essential elements in prostituion. When v;e consider, as we must, 
both the physical and the spiritual or psychical elements, the indi- 
vidual and the social, v;e are brought inevitably to the conclusion 
that the essential element in all prostitution is that sexual inter - 
cou rse is made a gratification of se xual or commercial appetite. un~ 
raindf.aL.alik e of individual character and of either individual or 
social welfare . The physical climax of the sex relation has been 
made an end in itself, or the servant of some other v;holly selfish, 
unsocial and exploiting end. 

In brief, if (as we are assuming throughout this dis- 
cussion) the home and the family and the services rendered by these 
are essential to the best development of individuals and to the 
evolution of society, any use of sex, either within or without the 
home, which grasps at the physical v;ithout including the full 
spiritual and social values, which exploits either individual for 
the lust of the other, is prostitution. As many v;riters have 
suggested, marriage itself, when these higher personal and social 
ends are ignores, is nothing more than a legalized form of prostitu- 
tion. "Regularity" (i.e. formal marriage) is necessary solely in 
the interest of permanence and reliability of social structure. 
There is no special virtue in marriage apart from this. Unity of 
physical and spiritual elements are necessary in all sex relations 
for personal freedom, happiness, and character. That the spiritual 
elements are personally the more htman factor does not make the 
former negligible. Destruction of the heart of home and family is 
made sure by ignoring either the physical or the psychical. Our 
practical problem is so to develop personal understanding, character, 
and control, on one hand, and the forms of home and family life on 
the other, that the raaxim-um good may be secured to the \vhole family 
from both the physical and spiritual elements in sex. 

Personal The causes of prostitution are both of a personal and 
causes of a social nature. Among the more personal causes are: 
prostitu- 
tion. 1. The active, uncontrolled sex desires of both men and 
women, but particularly of men. 

2. Desire for novelty, entertainment, excitement; and to 
escape disagreeable or uninteresting personal connections. 

3. Lack of willingness or purpose of self-control in 
respect to any desires. 

4. Lack of knowledge and appreciation of the fundamental 
facts of personal, sex and social nat^ire and welfare. 

5. Sub-normality, or unbalance, in mental or moral 
development. 



67. 



Among the social conditions which make prostituion 
easy are: 



Some 

social 

oa-usea 

of pro- 1, Low putlio standards of social obligations and of 

stitution. social behavior. 



2, The half recognition of a greater sex freedom for 
men based upon the false idea that men need, any more than women, 
to gratify sex desires. 



conditions. 



3, Unsatisfactory parental or marriage relations. 

4. Generally unwholesome and uninteresting environmental 



5. Economic elements, -- as inability to earn in legiti- 
mate ways enough to support personal tastes; and the cupidity of 
those who profit by commercializing vice; and the difficulty under 
present conditions of forming and supporting homes, leading to late 
or no marriage. 

Effects The practice of prostituion and promiscuous sex gratifi- 
of pro- cation has, under all the circumstances surrounding it, 
stitution. very definite effects upon the character of individuals, 

upon personal and public health, upon community opinion 

and morals, upon social institutions and functions, upon 
economic conditions, and upon the race itself. Te cannot rightly 
approach the problems of prostituion without considering these effects. 

Mental Perhaps the most basic ill effect of prostitution is upon 
{including the character of the participants. The social effects 
emotional) grow in large part out of this. In placing himself 
effects of athwart community standards, even if these standards are 
proraiscu- not wholly scientific, an individual inevitably molds 
ous inter- his ovm personal character. If these conflicts, which 
course he thus invites, are on high, unselfish grounds, his own 
upon character-complexes are constructive and exalted and he 
indivi- binds himself to the improvement of social standards, 
duals. This we see in reformers and revolutionists whose vision 

is ahead of their times. Insofar as these conflicts are 

for inferior and degenerative ends, his character suffers 
in his own esteem as well as in that of the community. In some detail 
the following personally destructive elements come with a life of 
lust:- 1) a person forms habits and standards which raalie clean life 
more difficult later; Z) he must live a life of deceit, with continual 
fear of discovery and condemnation; 3) he has uncomfortable memories 
and regrets; 4) his respect for the other sex is lowered, and thus 
is lost the highest and the most satisfying types of sex appreciation 
and companionship xvhich v;e humans tafe; 5) his ov;n self-respect is 
diminished, and this always insures personal disintegration: 5) his 
sense of social responsibility goes, and while this relieves in some 
degree his personal discomfort, it insures his loss as a constructive 
social agent and he becomes wholly an agency of destruction. Since 
the ill character-effects of such selfish use of sex flow largely from 



68, 

the fqct that the individual feels his course to "be oondemBed by 
society, the naive suggestion of some \7ho favor freedom of sex 
relations is that ^ve should avoid all this ill, effect if v;e only 
remove the condemnation of society from this type of indulgence I 
This is the basic fallacy of all those "personal liberty" advocates 
v/ho hold that the collective v;elfare must advance only by the use of 
such remnants as individual desire has no use for. 

Effects of By practically all who have investigated the matter, 
prostitution promiscuous sex intercourse is held primarily respon- 
on personal aible for the prevalence of the venereal diseases, - 
and social notably syphilis and gonorrhea* A very small per cent 
health. of these diseases is caused apart from sexual inter- 
course, and there would be little difficulty 4n eliminat- 
ing thera entirely from home life if both parties wei'e 
abstinent before marriage and faithful to one another after. Some 
authorities claim that 90 per cent of the cases of venereal disease 
are contracted by niales in promiscuous intercourse, and that 85 per cent 
of married women who have syphilis have received it innocently from their 
husbands. 

To individuals these two diseases are the most destructive 
now known to us. In society at large they are very eommunicable and most 
difficult of isolation and control. A very high per cent of professional 
prostitutes is venereally diseased and every one is of course a constsn t 
focus of infection to all males who use her. Biologically v/e must look 
upon the female prostitutes as foci of infection and upon the males as 
carriers of the venereal diseases and establishers of new foci. Males 
and females are equally prostitutes, as well as disease transmitters. 

Effects of Me have admitted that most of the essential reasons 
prostitution against promiscuous sex intercourse, evem the personal 
on home reasons, are s.ocxal in their origin, Thisi merdly means 
life. that there are no biological, animal reasons why any male 

. should not mate v/ith one female as well as with another. 

Except for the physiological effect of promiscuity in 
spreading disease and in reducing fecundity, the grounds for restraint 
are chiefly emotional, esthetic, ethical and social. The chief social 
bearing of the personal sex life is upon the home as a sexual, repro~ 
ducing, happiness giving and educative institution, The home is the basic 
social institution. Some of the v;ays in which irregular sex lives of 
individuals affect humans are:- 

1, llany men, because of thu cheaper and easier gratifica- 
tion furnished by prostitution entirely sliirk home responsibilities, 
live immoral lives as bachelors, and thus attack the very foundation of 
all social life. 

2, Llany v/oraen, both- the prostitutes themselves who supply 
this demand for substitutes and the women who might otherwise have become 
the wives of those men, are deprived of the opportunitiea of wifehood 
and motherhood. 



69. 

3. Individual husbands or wives by their disloyalty 
fail to (Jive their full affection to the partner and children, 
and thus the home is broken or robbed of its happiness and use- 
fulness. In general, too, the very existence of these doubts 
crowinc out of the coinmonness of unfaithfulness is a continuing 
threat to homes which otherwise might be of the best sort. 

4. Unfaithful husbands may carry home from prostitutes 
one or the other of these infectious diseases, infect their wives, 
and render them permanent invalids, incapable of motherhood and 
wifehood - to say nothing of destroying the happiness which the 
husband has promised to cherish, 

5. Children are frequently infected by, or inherit the 
evil effects of, these diseases. Venereal diseases increase the 
niimber of stillborn children and infant mortality. Syphilis ray 
be congenital and show itself in numerous ways. Certain effects 

of syphilis are apparently definitely inherited and ;.nvolve Various 
types of malformations, with degeneracy of and lesions in the vital 
tissues. Gonorrhea may infect the eyes of infants at birth and 
cause permanent blindness. 

6. The economic ill effects of prostitution upon the family 
(and society) cannot be ignored. Some of these are:- loss from 
family resources of time and income spent upon prostitutions; effect 
of diseases on productive power of the man; money spent on his ovm 
treatment and on treatment or operations on infected v;ife and children; 
helplessness and premature death of parents from later stages of the 
disease, - as in locomotor ataxia, paresis, blindness, deafness, 
insanity. 

Effects It is well realized that a poor state of public opinion 
of pro- about sexual morality and social oblifjation leads directly 
stitution to poor individual control of sex impulses and to increased 
upon irregularity of sex relations. It is equally true that a 
community reco,^ized state of social prostitution, if it does not 
opinion arouse public conscience to a wave of reform, further 
and deadens the social sense and lowers regard for social 
morals. values and ideals. Such a situation furnishes a thoroughly 
^vicious circle which more than once in the history of 

civilization has led to the complete degradation and 

destruction of groups of people. 

Effects In some degree the thin;;s v;hiGh have been mentioned in 

of pro- previous sections relate to the v;elfare of the individual, 

stituion his character and happiness and toe the success of the 

upon half private, half social institution we call the home. 

genenal In fully equal degree these and other effects reach out 

social and modify racial stamina and social integrity and progress, 

and It may be serviceable to sum up a few of the more important 

racial aspects of this larger effect of the misuse of sex, and of 

welfare, the racial poisons v/hich have developed about its perversion. 

Promiscuous sex intercourse handicaps human evolution in 

the following ways: 



70. 

1. It causes fev/er and later inarria^es. 

2. In numerous ways it injures and imderraines the home as 
the foundation of a social civilization. 

3. -Besides establishing a professiunal class of prostitutes 
v/ho themselves do not marry and bear children, it leaves a large number of 
eligible ^70raen v/ithout the opportunity of normal married life and child 
bearing and thus deprives society of their service as mothers. 

4. In its less professional form, it causes a large amount 
of illegitimacy, with the consequent disgrace and social handicap to both 
the mothers and children. 

5. trough increase of venereal disease, it makes many women 
sterile, and increases infant mortality and the number of defective and 
diseased children. 

6. It limits v/itho-ut any compensating gain the total happinss, 
assurance, and therefore usefulness, of all these classes. 

7. It diminishes largely our constructive human and economic 
resources v;hile at the same time adding to our burdens in necessary agencies 
of reclamation, clinics, hospitals, asylums, etc. 

8. It lowers social, ethical, and moral standards and 
diminishes the social cooperation and effectiveness which come by way of 
these, '-nd in doing this, it strengthens by just so much the crass, animal 
cpmpetitive struggle and holds back the chances of an evolution through 
good wil}, service, and sacrifice. In other words it is another selfish 
barrier in the way of evolution of a really hu-ian, social race. 

Is 2?here is always a cult of human teings who assume that a 

prostituion phenomenon is normal and necessary if it is \7idespread anil 
necessary? has long prevailed.. % euch measurements slavery, whether 

■ in the crude form of a fevv^ generations ago or in the more 

indirect form in present economic conditions,- is normal and 
necessaiy. Cannibalism and hU3T.an sacrifice were similarly so in earlier 
times. "Necessary" means rather this J Is the quality or condition so 
ingrained into the situation ly organic bonds and so essential to existence 
and well-being and progress that suitable education and rational improve- 
ment of the conditions of life can not inake it possible to substitute some- 
thing for it among the majority of the species which will yield more.; in 
happiness and progress? l^ecessity is not a stationary and final thing. 
It is dynamic, changin*?, progressive. It is a function of future 
betterment. 

■^s sug.;ested earlier, we have no evi^'.ence that physical 
sexual intercourse, v;hile liologically a n.-a„tiir.al and jif>r'-^al operation, is 
even biQlngTcany necessary to any individual either male or female. 
'"'hile a completely celibate life cannot be considered a normal life 
either biologically, psychologically or socially; and while it has per- 
fectly definite limitations which make it entirely undesirable as a 
general ideal, such celebate lives have not merely been lived success- 
fully but have in individual oases developed finenesses which show full 
conpensation for the deprivations both to the person and to society. 



71. 

Such phenomena shov; that temporary abstinence "before marria{je or 
permanent abstinence "by those who do not raarry or faithfulness 
on the part of those who do nmrry is neither iinpossi'Dle nor necessarily 
injurious to the individual, Prostitution, either open or secret, is not 
a 'hecessary" institution, ^ome apologists for prostitution claim that 
a class of prostitutes is necessary in order to "protect" normal "wives 
and daughters from attack "by men. ^here is of course no justification 
for such a statement as this either in statistics or any conception of 
human democracy. 

■Even if sexual intercourse \/ere necessary for the 
individual it does not follow that either multiple -.vives, concubine:!, 
mistresses, or other forms of prostitutes are necessary, ^he essential 
equality in the numbers of males and females makes a more social 
solution possible. It points rather to such encouragement of marriaiTo, 
on the part of all who are fit, as a prime fuiiction of civilized society. 

Prostitu- In the li(^"ht of these various factors we may reasonably 
tion or hold that the general degree of prostitution and sexual 
promiscu- promiscuity nov/ found among imnkind, while explainable as 
ity cannot a natural outcome of the course of hixman evolution, is 
be regarded unnecessary as a permanent condition and should be subject 
as a sound to gradual elimination as we strive consciously for h\i:aan 
solution of progress, '-^e gro-unds for this conclusion may be foujid in 
the sex- the following considerations J l) Gratification is not even 
social the .biological end of the sex impulse; but is only a means 
problem. to the real end. This biological end of sex is to insure 

and improve reproduction and the preservation of the 

species; 2) As we become rational and social creatures the 
physical self -gratification of the sex appetite could scarcely come 
rightly to have a larger relative place than in purely instinctirie animal 
conditions, even thoiigh the incitements to over-indulgence are increased 
in man. Rather the rational, ethical and esthetic aspects of -personal 
and social development would be expected to have increasing weight, as 
compared with mere personal pleasure, with advancing evolution; 3) These 
social and evolutionary ends are not only not advanced by prostitution 
and promiscuity; they are made more difficult; 4) Promiscuous sex rela- 
tionships disregard and check the higher and more social forms of our 
individual sex instincts and satisfactions, which enhance and ennoble 
sex associations and adjustments by making them permanent. Such more 
permanent forms are love of mates, social partnership of men and women 
in the home, parenthood, guardianship of the new generation, etc., about 
v^hich our most humane traits are developed; 5) Promiscuity tends normally 
toward positive personal and social evils v;hich threaten the futiire of all 
society. Among these are not merely loss of social purpose and attitude, 
but tendency toward certain gross forms of perverted sex practices both 
unnatural and base. These in turn inevitably disintegrate the character 
of the individual. 

How may There is of course no short road to the elimination of 
society either public or clandestine prostitution. From the 
hope to evolutionary point of view these must be loo&ed upon as 
combat pro- transitional toward full monogamous practice, or as lapses 
stitution? from it. V/e have two modes of approach in trying to com- 

trol if; direct suppressive measures through legislation 

and law enforcement, and the gradual education of public 
and individual opinion against it. Among these repressive measures are 



72. 

included:- all efforts :to remove possibility of comnercial gain fron 
it both precautionary and punitive; all plans to make solicitation or 
meeting difficult and hazardous; all measures to segrer;ate and protect 
the mentally incompetent of both sexes; all steps to eliminate alcohol 
and other incitements (of sex indulgence; all social and economic aids and 
inducements to early and general marriage and to efficient and happy, and 
henc.e stable, home-making. These measures call for the utmost efforts 
of reformers, lav; makers, and those v/ho enforce the lavv's. Most observers 
agree that the best we can do in any of these v/ays is only secondary. 
Unless we can also make the general run of human beings see the better 
uses of sex and really believe in them, these efforts to improve the 
environment cannot go very far. On the other hand without doing these 
things it is practically impossible to educate the individual. The 
repressive and the educational steps must be timed. together, and our 
public opinion must be trained to support both. 

Educational This is not the place to analyze the character education 
steps. necessary for the wise use of sex by all normal human 

beings. This will be undertaken in Part III. Here it will 

be sufficient to repeat that we must find a v/ay to bring 
to every child, anew in each generation, such kno^vledge, such inter- 
pretation, such inspiration, such surroundings, such examples, such 
guidance as will enable it to want to make the best uses of sex, to know . 
the best uses of sex, to have step by step the best sex behavior and 
habits , and to have pl eas ure and satisfaction out of such conduct. Here 
good and pious intentions, v;ithout sound knowledge, will not get right . 
conduct and relations. Still less v/ill full knowledge without right 
desires and purposes do so* 

The nature Reference has already been made to the cxlose connection 
of the betv/een the venereal diseases and irregular and prostituted 
venereal sex relations. The connection is so close that medical men 
diseases. freely admit that we could hope in a brief time to stamp 

out both gonorrhea and syphilis if sex intercourse were 

confined to family relations. They are essentially 
diseases which arise from promiscuity, and are proportional to the 
frequency and amount of such intercourse. Both gonorrhea and syphilis 
are caused by microscopic, living, parasitic organisms which are 
conveyed directly from an infected to an uninfected body by contact. 
V/e have few diseases which are more readily communicable. The growth 
and development of these parasites upon the membranes of the sex organs, 
within the blood or in the tissues is the direct cause of the diseases. 
Both diseases can be cured if the organisms can be killed and the 
poisons produced by them eliminated early enough. The longer the dis- 
eases run the more difficult it is to destroy the parasites or to repair 
the damage. 

Prevalence Naturally our statistics of the venereal diseases inthe 
of the civil population are little more than {jueses, since in 
venereal America there has never been any full reporting of even 
diseases. those relatively few cases that have come to the knowledge 

of regular physicians. The chief statistics relate to 

prostitutes who have been regulate! and examined to some 
extent, and to soldiers where medical examination has become as thorough 
as can be made. 



73. 

In se{?regated prostituion districts venereal infections 
have been shovvn to run as high as 90 - 95 per cent of the women. 
Among commercial prostitutes generally the percentage probably ranges 
from 75 to 90. 

The reports of various war-time commissions seem to indi- 
cate that something like 10 per cent of American men were infected before 
the war and dirring the early part.^of it. This varied greatly, from the 
condition in the Northwestern states, where the rate was very low, to 
certain parts of the South where it v;as exceedingly high. Dtiring the 
war this average rate was diminished for the troops by rigorous super- 
vision to half this rate or less, doubtless these two diseases are more 
prevalent among the general population at any moment of time than all 
the other dangerous infections diseases put together. They produce 
more deaths than any other human disease^ 

Seneral It is not the purpose of this discussion to treat at 

effects of length with the medical aspects of any of the venereal 

syphilis diseases. Full statement of this v;ill be found in the 

upon references given. Syphilis is a systemic , or constitu- 

individuals. tional disease. That is to say, the organism which 

^ produces it gets into the blood and is carried to all 

parts of the body. 

Aside then from the early symptoms, which nay be localized 
about the original point of infection, the later attacks may show in 
connection with the vital organs. In consequence syphilis leads to in- 
curable disease of the circulatory organs, of the nervous system, and 
of other less vital structures. Insanity, paresis, locomotor ataxia, 
"softening of the brain", apoplexy, angina pectoris, and arterial 
derangements accompany the later stages of syphilis. Different 
experts have given estimates of the effect of syphilis upon length of 
life of indi-^iduals who have it. A- combination of several such esti- 
mates indicates that syphilis in the past has shortened the expectation 
of life of infected individuals five years or more, on the average. 

Individual Gonorrhea is usually more local in its effects than 
effects of syphilis, although it also may become a constitutional 
gonorrhea, or "blood" disease. This germ infects the mucous membranes 

and produces in them a congestion and inflammation. 

Starting at any spot on the tender membranes of the sex 
organs these germs follow the tubes and cavities of the whole sexual, 
reproductive and urinary apparatus. In men the most serious fact is 
that the disease may pass into the minute tubes of the testis where 
sperm cells are produced. There are literally hundreis of feet of these 
small tubes. The parasites may destroy the sperm-producing power of 
these organs. Or, if less active and virulent, may become pocketed in a 
quiet stage where they may remain unsuspected for years. This makes 
cure very uncertain, and also makes it possible for a man to infect other 
persons years after he thinks himself "cured". 

In females gonorrhea is much more disastrous than in males, 
for the reason that the cavities of the feirale sex organs communicate 
directly v/ith the body cavity and thus with the peritoneum X7hich lines 
the cavity and all the organs in it. Inflammation and pus formation in 



74, 

the peritoneal cavity is a very much more serious thini; than it is in 
the sex or^^ans themselves. Gonorrhea may produce sterility of females,- 
or, even v;orse, may cause chronic invalidism and death. 

Effects of If the effects of the sexual diseases could oe confines 
the to prostitutes and to the men who patronize thetr. v/e 

venereal might very v/ell say that these diseases would in time 
diseases do the race a real service in making sterile and in 
in society. Icilling off a considerable portion of those v-;hose x^hysical 

and mental qualities induce them to misuse their sex 

nature. Unfortunately, however, the infection gets into 
the innocent homes of people who live this sort of life and there 
threaten the life, health, and happiness of mothers and unborn children. 
Because these diseases are thus brought from the lustful life of the 
underworld into the institution v;hich is at the very basis of all our social 
structure, they are "social disease". They are a threat not merely 
against the physical' health of all the indivi'.^uals in the home; the 
danger of them is a blow to the feelings of confidence and security 
v/hich are necessary to the home and fariily and to the full development 
of monogamous marriage. They are therefore "racial poisons" in the 
sense that they both weaken the blood of the stock and injure the very 
institution by v/hich the race is perpetuated. 

How may Since venereal diseases depend largely upon prostitution 
venereal as their method of distribution, one main line of attack 
diseases upon them lies in the reduction of prostitution. For 
be met? i-nany years it has been thought that the examination, 

treatment, registration, and segregation of prostitutes. 

might reduce the amount of disease. Scientific opinion, 
practically over the whole world, now condemns this plan as worse thaJi 
worthless. 

More and more emphasis is being put on education of people 
in the knowle-'ge of the great infectiousness and the dangers of these 
disease-ff, in the knov.'ledge that a large per cent of cases can be cured 
"by really scientific methods if taken early, in willingness to report 
and be treated by reliable physicians, and in the injustice of exposing 
other people to one's own diseases. 

There has also been a definite trend of opinion toward 
compulsion in reporting the -"-enoreal diseases by physicians, toward 
compulsory treatment and isolation or quarantine of infected prostitutes 
whether male or female until they cease to be dangerous to the health 
of the community, and toward rigorous suppresion of commercialized 
prostitution. 

There is still an antiquated rerrirant v7ho insist that 
regulated prostitution is an inevitable and necessary social institution, 
and that it protects the family. The general indications at present are 
that the family will have to get along '"ithout this prop. 

Two sets There are of course two very distinct groups of problems 
of confronting us in the venereal diseases. One is identia?,!!: 

problems. with those in tuberculosis or a3:x7 other coramunicalbe dis«- 

>— ease, - the mere problems of coring or preventing the 

disease in individuals, ^his is the aspect which appeals 
especially to the physician. They include prophylaxis to allow exposure 



[2i 



75. 

without contracting; the disease^; treatment of infecte^l persons so 
that they nay not transmit the diseases, if necessary, isolation 

durinti the acutely infectious stages of the disease, llec'. ical men 
alone can test the efficiency of these various methods of meetin{^ 
the diseases. Even they do not have very convincing data at present 
in relation to theiri, For examx^le, sone physicians are enthusiastic 
supporters of prophylaxis as a means of limiting disease. On the 
other hand there seems to be increasing evidence that prophylactic 
measures, v/hile lowering the ratio of infection to exposure in some 
degree, increases exposure and, in Germany and certain other continental 
countries, does so in such degree as greatly to increase infection 
itself. Hov/ever this na.y be, the medical measures in no sense or degree 
give any solution to the conditions which lie teneath the diseases. 5!he 
deeper problem is the furnishing of personal and social motives which 
may be used to reduce irregular inter -course and thus help reach solutions 
through personal character. This has been called "moral prophylaxis". 
These methods are in no way incompatible, and certainly both undertakings 
need to be joined into one, if we are to make any real improvement of 
our social conditions. 



76. 



Chapter VI. The S^oirit and Iletho..! of Securing? Sex Control 

Views As indicated earlier (Pn,rt II. Chapter 3) hurnan iDeings 
about are far from agreement in their thoughts of control in 
control, respect to sex, as v;ell as the other impulses. The 
following classes of views may be recofcnizei. 

1, Therj is a consi-ierable per cent of people, subnormal 
in all those higher intellectual an-'! emotional qualities which make for 
control of any strong desires, who frankly give themselves to '..'hatever 
indulgence they are able to secure. Their only deponJa'^-le restraint is 
external compulsion and fear of punishment here or hereafter. 

2, Tiiore are several intellectually alert groups whose 
general philosophy is that all the forms of personal satisfaction are 
primarily for the gratification and happ-iness of the individual himself, 
and that societj^ must always be nothing more than the sim total of the 
competitive expressions of these selfish personal liberties and cannot 
Justly interfere with individual gratification of them. V^hether the 
argument is raade intellectual from the point of viev; of the philosophical 
anarchist; or from that of the seasoned seeker after satisfactions under 
the cult of " an ti -Puritanism" or "anti-philistinism", ot of "beauty ( 
(satisfaction) for beauty's sake"; or from that of certain psychoanalysts 
who argue for freedom of sex expression in order to prevent individual 
strains, complexes and psychoses even at the risk of social disaster,- 

it agrees in combating the right of a conscious society to deny or to 
control individual gratifications and enjoyment in the interest of social 
evolution. 

3, Probably the majority of thoughtful people, in theory 
at least, admit that society is having and ou.;ht to have an evolution of 
its o^TO, which is different from the m.ere conflict and adjustment of un- 
controlled selfish interests; and that this makes necessary some conscious 
control by society of individual expression, in the interest both of 
other individuals as such and of the future welfare of the group, .^mong 
this class are all shades of ideas as to the proper de;':ree of individual 
freedom and of social control. 

Control in In the higher animals belov; man the problem of control is 
animals not a highly social problem, Eor is it made more difficult 
below man. by such strengthening of desires and enjoyments as we 

humans feel through the work of consciousness. For the 

most part, the uiiaided instincts take suitable care of all 
indulgence am.ong animals. In the;:, organic, - not artificially stimulated,- 
desires incite to normal action, and organic satiety stops it. 

On account of those automatic checks, there is no great 
danger of the wild animals engaging in eating, or exercise, or sex inter-* 
course to the point of self injury. Nor is there any sufficient evidence, 
in spite of reports of occasional masturbation among animals, of any 
excesses of unnatural indulgences even among domesticated animals, where 
v;e would most expect it. 



77. 

The new In our case consciousness can, and often does, arouse ( 
elements desire again after indulgence, before the animal physio- 
in human logical processes \7ould normally do so, and thus rons us 
control. further "before satiety checks us. From this fact the 

personal danger of over-indulgence arises. V/e have also 

increased our outer incitements to sex indulgence, in 
addition to the inner urges, because of the more elaborate social life 
v;hich becomes all the time more intimate and alluring. On the other 
hand, our conscious social evolution and the conditions under r;hich 
it can progress limit the possibility of safe personal indulgence. 
'7e cannot have such a society as v/e are beginning to conceive as most 
effective, and behave even as the animals do, or v/hat is v/orse, behave 
as uncontrolled humans v/ould do. That is to say, if by experience and 
reasoning ^ve find the home and some sort of confidence and faithfulness 
necessary for sound social evolution, v/e not only cannot safely follow 
our increased desires into individual over-indulgence; v/e cannot even 
follov/ the simpler less excessive physiological animal course. No 
internal "social instincts" have developed v/hich trill of themselves give 
this needed control of the individual urges. If it is necessary or 
desirable for men to live sexually in ways different from the animal, 
the controls must come either from the indiTidaal or from society, as 
the product of consciousness and by the a-jplication of the higher mental 
functions to the problem . 

The It is quite clear, therefore, that any control of an urgent 

inevitable desire means that there v/ill be v/ithin the person, or 
conflicts between the person and other persons, a conflict . The 
in such proper handling of these conflicts is at the very bottom 
control. of all personal character and happiness, as v^ell as of 

social evolution. The nature of these conflicts is most 

interesting, as they furnish the rav/ material of all our 
social and educational program. If no conflicts had arisen in our 
evolution there v/ould never have been any control of desires. 

Conflict '.;e have of course to start v;ith, in determining our actions, 
of the same conflicts among our desires v/hich the animals have. 

desires. For example, v;e may at the sane time be hungry or thirsty 

and lazy. T^h,at v/e do, how soon we shall seek food, \7ill 

depend on the relative strength of these impulses. In 
such a case we may be sure that hunger will ultimately prevail because 
of increasing intensity. Our own case however is much more complex. 
V/e have a great range of desires especially in the social, intellect\nl, 
and esthetic realms and a greater range of pleasure-giving modes of 
expressing ourselves. V/e therefore can make -lany more combinations of 
our present interests and desires either to control or to increase any 
impulse v/hich might be selected than is possible among animals. That 
both consciousness and the unconscious results of experience are con- 
tinually making and breaking these combinations of impulses and desires 
is quite clear. 

Furthermore, because of imagination and of our power of 
anticipating coming satisfactions, we can increase the appeal of the 
long-range impulses and of the returns which come from them, - such as 
friendship, ambition, or gratitude, or hope might suggest. iJi extreme 
illustration of this is seen in the other worldly motives, v/hich have 



78. 

often been appealed to successfully by religions to hold in check the 
gratification of present satisfactions. The term happiness as com- 
pared with pleasures , brings in this element of time and permanence 
which may greatly strengthen the force of a given desire or v/eaken 
that of another. The inner warfare of our desires, tastes, pre- 
judices, and satisfactions is a very real and important thing in all 
efforts to guide our personal and social life. Our problem is to 
discover, develop and strengthen those v;hich lead to wisfe and far- 
seeing control and guidance of the over-pov/erful desires. 

Conflicts The power of some of these desires and prejudices, both 
betv/een the instinctive and the acquired, is so strong that it 
desires would seem almost impossible to develop within the in- 
and dividual any quality or motive Avhich can influence them 
experience. greatly. Probably we never dould have done so but for the 
great range of desires and the conflicts among them, re- 
ferred to in the preceding paragraph. Because we do have 
very varied satisfactions and can compare and discriminate among these 
v/e have become able to contrast the comforts and discomforts, which 
arise in the course of our experience and in this way to bring them 
more or less v/ithin the range of reason and judgment- That is to say, 
we bring an impulse, which we could never learn to resist if it stood 
alone, into conscious control by the very fact that it is partly offset 
by a second desire and thus does not bring its full force to bear upon 
us. If desires v;ere never in conflict we probably should not learn to 
control any of them. Because they conflict in consciousness we are 
compelled to take account of them and of their rev.-ards. The standards 
of experience and reason gained through comparison may thus be set up 
against a crude present desire in such a way that there is a direct 
seeming conflict between experience and reason on the one hand and 
desire on the other. As a matter of fact the conflict is not nearly 
so simple as this. Doubtless among intelligent hxiraan beings all these 
instinctive, intellectual, emotional, and esthetic elements are arrayed 
on one side or the other of every conflict. Rightly or wrongly, however, 
we cone to feel that our progress in human development is to be measured 
by the degree to which we allov; experience, facts, discrimination and 
sound reasoning to control the cruder desires and prejudices. 

Conflict Clearly, if we are right in this estimate of the value of . 
of the scientific spirit and method which we humans are able 

individual to use, as against allowing our merely instinctive and 
standards emotional impulses to control us, our greatest human problem 
and is to get the most accurate possible viev/ of past human 
collective experience and to use the most discriminating methods of 
standards. judging the particular values of various race experiences, 

and to bring most satisfactorily to the help of individuals 

the products of this scientific, conscious process of 
judging the past. However, just as there is always a certain am.ount of 
conflict, even in the individual, between his ovm desires and the judg- 
ments which he derives from personal experience, - there is even more 
an inevitable conflict between the d e sires of the re lat ively young and 
inexperienced individual am^ the more imnersonal j udfcm ent collected from 
generations of hfman experience . In other words, collective social 
judgments about any urgent, crude desire do not accord with the limited 



79. 

experience of the immature individual; even less do they accord with 
his desires and instincts. Hence a conflict is inevitable. The 
well known antagonism between the rising and the older generations, 
which has never been more acute and far-reaching than at present, lies 
largely at just this point. It is very clear that the human race has 
not yet found a satisfactory way of bringing past experiences to youth. 
It remains to be seen whether it is possible to do so. 

The false The problems of using the wisdom of an older generation 
and the to guide the desires of the new has another difficult 
trivial aspect. The holdings of the past are not necessarily 
in social either completely v;ise or true. In addition to the fact 
standards, that our collective conclusions are built up quite as m 

much on prejudices as on rigid experiment, we mature 

people have a very great disposition to exalt quite 
trivial things in our social conventions and to hold on to them even 
after they are known to be partial or even false. In other words, the 
collective society has never used the scientific spirit and method fully 
in building these holdings and conventions. 

The work of prejudices is just as clear in our social 
traditions as in individual desires, even though time tends to correct 
this in part. The greatest trouble growing out of the fact that we 
allow our social standards to be controlled by prejudice rather than by 
true sense of proportion lies in this,- that it tends to make all such 
standards more vulnerable and less acceptable by youth, and thus to lose 
for them even that partial value which belongs to history. 

Application It is perhaps unnecessary to remark that the conditions 
to sex outlined in the preceding sections apply with peculiar 
impulses force to the impulses and the satisfactions of sex. The 
and '. phenomena of reproduction and sex, as we have seen, are 
standards. so basic, so varied in character, so appealing to the 

_^ emotional life, so connected v/ith the other great personal 

endowments, and so important both to individual develop- 
ment and social v/elfare that there is no field in which the conflicts 
mentioned above are more real or so critical for our evolution. Emphasis 
is being placed on these fundamental things here because we mature people 
cannot possibly bring help about sex to the rising generation in an 
effective v/ay unless we respect and solve these difficulties and conflicts 
between the inpulses of youth and the standards of society. There is 
no point about which the individualist, young or older, is more uncon- 
vinced and rebellious against the social holdings than in respect to sex 
and the social expressions growing out of it. The first rational step 
in solving this conflict is a sincere effort to put our social standards 
on a really scientific basis . 

Are we The dilemna has too long seemed to suggest that v/e must 

then to choose between two estreme and antagonistic policies :- 

leave each either 1) to let the youth of each generation go his own 

nev; way and learn by his own experience what is sound and 

generation what unsound; or 2) to exert such pressure and force upon 

to its own hira that for very fear of public opinion or punishment he 

discoveries? will control his conduct according to the social rules, and 

___;; not as the outcome of his o^vn experience and appreciation 

and conviction of values. There are those who claim to 



eo* 

believe that it is best that each individual should "sov/ his wild 
oats"; which means essentially that he should gratify his ovth desires, 
reap his ovm harvest of results, learn his ovm lessons, and reform 
his- o'.vn life and form his social standards in the li^'ht of these 
various personal experiences, without regard to what thy race has 
already learned. This v/ay of experience is the v/ay by which the 
race has built up its ov/n sanctions; v;hy should this not be good also 
for each individual? Such suggestions are not really made in the 
interest of human progress and success, but in the interest of human 
freedom of indulgence. No individual adopting this policy consistently, 
even if he succeeded in escaping a pei'manent life of license, could get 
more than one generation away from his ovm crude beginnir^s. By far the 
greater number of those who accept the policy of education by "wild oats" 
never graduate from the school. In our present sophisticated condition, 
personal disintegration outruns the healing from the wisdom which may 
come from unaided individual experience at its best. Any accumulation 
of experience, all education, any progress implies that at least a part 
of the past experience shall be accepted by each new generation without 
full verification. As civilization goes on this must be an increasing 
part. It is even worse unreason to accept none of the social holdings 
than it is to accept all of them without question, because, even if not 
wholly true, they are at least a partial summary of racial experience and 
interpretation of experience. 

Does this To say that it is a false viev/ to leave the individual to 
mean social experiment freely with life as his fancy dictates, either 
control of with social approval or against social judgTnent, is not to 
individual hold that it is right or expedient for society to try to 
impulse? impose its opinions ruthlessly and autocratically upon its 

_, young individuals, A very large part of the effort of 

mature people in meeting the natural desires of the young 
has been nothing more than trying to force our views upon them and to 
control their actions throu,;h force and fear. This is the cheapest 
possible method of social control; but, like most cheap things, it is 
shoddy, if v/e are seeking permanent good either in character of in con- 
duct. In using the terra "fear" above, reference is not being made to 
legitimate fear of the natural consequences of unwise action, but to 
fear of punishments, mostly or entirely artificial, which ve ourselves 
have called up to support our demands upon them. The most of the 
punishments in family life, the penalties for the violation of laws, the 
threats of excommunication and of hell, are of this kind. In a word, 
we have sought to control behavior and to repress impulses directly and 
externally, artificially and unconvincingly, ra ther than in accordance 
vv'ith the nature of human beings and of the special imioulses to be guided 
and used . ■ This method cannot possibly v;in sympathy between the genera- 
tions, and cannot load to a wise and poised internal self control of 
personal impulses. 

The normal It is not the purpose in v.liat follows to imply that there is 
results of no place for such external repressive measures. For eraer- 
repressive gencies a,nd for those v/ho are incapable of self control or 
measures. of education toward self control, such external repression 

is like a brake on laachinery, - a necessary safe;;uard 

against destruction, in education, however, represssion 
shov?s the poorest possible results. 



81. 

The particular results in any case r;ill depend upon the 
character of the child. If the child is reak and pliable we may, by 
this policy of repressing-; throur;h fear break such character as it has 
and secure one of those unnaturally "obedient" children 'vho rightly 
die early. If the child has strength and yet has love and confidence 
for the parents, it may order its cond^^ct to their likin.i; and even 
effectively repress its desires throu.;h a combination of fear and love. 
This seems on the surface a v;onderfully happy result; but the mental 
hygienists are showing," us that everythin.; is not so happy as it seems. 
If these desires v;ere really vit^orous, and -^ere thus repressed into the un 
conscous without being met and educated in some full and satisfying v^ay, 
this is not the end of them. They continue to express themselves in 
modified v/ays, in longings, mental images, day dreams, obsessions, 
hysterias, and other complexes which are highly injurious to personality; 
and all the more so because the real causes are not recognized even by 
the child himself. 

If the child has strength and positive, somev/hat assertive, 
and combative qualities, there may be open rebellion; or, if more prudent, 
a concealed rebellion working injury to the spirit of youth and expressing 
itself in a riot of bad action when maturity and freedom come. If in 
addition to strength and assertiveness there is a bit of playfulness and 
cunning, the child may develop a hsrpocritical appearance of obedience 
in the open, and yet find ways to do its \7ill secretly. Host normal 
Children have mixtures of these various qualities, which insure that 
artificial and repressive modes of putting our mature convictions 
upon young people will produce no permanent good results in education 
of character, but rather a welter of injurious attitudes and dis- 
satisfactions. 

In picturing this very coi-nmon manner of adult control (3f 
youthful desires and conduct, it is not intended to imply that the only 
alternatives used in past times have been the uncontrolled license of 
the young and despotic control of them, V.hat is implied is this:- 
parents, governments, military commanders, and even religious leaders 
have depended all through history far too much upon these forcible modes 
of repression; and the individualists, including the young, have in- 
sisted more than is socially sane on personal privilege and license. 
All our codes of law and morals, including the most enlightened, have 
had in them very little of what the modern study of individual and 
social psychology has shown us must be in them if they are to be 
e\iucative , 

There is something much better; and it is the glory 
of the 19th and 20th centuries to have put if as cardinal to all edu- 
cation, and to have v;orked out at least the beginnings of methods of 
applying it practically. This better thing is that motives for such 
self control as is actually essneital can be given to normal young 
people by combinations of personal experience and example and in- 
sturction, so natural and satisfying that they v/ill not rebel against 
the gift as unreasonable or impossible. It means that youthful desires 
must be curbed and guided if individuals a,re to achieve character or 
social adjustment, but that this guidance cannot be gained by force cr 
fear except injuriously; and can be gained ^-'ithout hurtful after effects 



82. 

through motives that give high satisfaction, \7hen control is gained in 
ways in which the young themselves can appreciate at every step and v7hich 
supply them constructive satisfactions as great or greater than those 
displaced, we do not leave the hurtful conflicts and rebellions on one 
hand, nor allow youth to destroy itself through indulgence on the other. 

Constructive Our objective then, stated briefly, is to bring the 
control and experience of society to the aid of the young in such a 
guidance of democratic and satisfying way that the young shall develop 
appetites, their ovm high desires, standards, ideals, purposes and 

attitudes of control within themselves , and shall get such 

premiums of satisfaction and pleasure; out of this self - 
control that it will become both habitual and a happy part of their 
philosophy of life . In all their conflicts, internal and external, it is 
our task to attach such permiums of pleasure to the wise and xvholesome 
use and control of all the impulses, including those of sex, that there 
shall be full satisfaction in giving up the unv;holesome indulgence. 
There are two constructive ways in v/hich we may thus short-circuit the 
long course of learning things by trial and error and help the young to 
use their poivers happily in the light of racial experience. V/e may 
help substitute other genuine and upbuilding interests, desires, impulses, 
activities and ^satisfactions for those of sex or for any other impulse 
needing control; or vjq may refine , enlarge, modify the inpulse itself, 
and combine it positively with other impulses, thus giving it a more 
wholesome or useful character than if gratified on its lov;est plane. 
Briefly v;e may refer to these tv;o processes as substitution and sublimation 
respectively. 

Sex The effort to control one appetite by appealing to another 
education depends upon the complex and conflicting hxoman desires and 
by sub- interests to which we have referred, and upon the fact that 
stituting our time, strength, and powers of attention and interest are 
other limited. If v/e are intensely interested and active in one 
interests field we drain away opportunity from others. If yoTong 
and people are given many wholesome, attractive enterprises 
desires v;hich strongly appeal to them personally during the shole 
for those of childhood and adolescence, there is much less likelihood 
of sex, that they will be dra\7n into sexual or other erros and 
excesses. 

Never in the history of mankind have such extensive efforts 
been made to do this for boys and girls as during the last 25 years. All 
the organizations to employ pleasurably the leisure time of boys and 
girls; the encouragement of hobbies, physical exercise, sports, games, 
hikes, reading, discussions; the use of gang instincts, and of the im- 
pulses tov/ard play, collecting, roaming, exploring, constructing, in- 
venting, etc., and of devices to fix the purposes, ambitions, hopes, plans 
of the youth upon life work, - all these are phases of this effort to 
substitute constructive interests and satisfactions for the premature or 
unwise use of the sex and other impulses which are so powerful as to 
need to be controlled. They mark one of the most positive steps in 
human education. One of the misfortunes in connection with these exer- 
cises of leisure is that so many of them are being exploited for personal 
gain. Because play and recreation are more educative of character than 
anything, that touches us it is intolerable that profiteers should have 



83. 

charge of them. .Al amusements, irhows, theaters, movies, and the like 
should he socialized, and controlled ty experts just as our schools at 
their hest. 

The It will "be seen that this method does not educate the 

strength sex impulse itself . In a v;ay it really dodges the issue. 
and If the substitutes are really engrossing, they may get 

limitations the youth past many temptations and emergencies, : But 
of the they do not give any specific mastery over the pro"blems of 
method of sex itself as they arise latc-r . The sex impulses are too 
suhstitution. varied, complex, and pov.-erful to be sidetracked completely 

or permanently in this way. However, if these substituted 

interests are of a specially far-reaching character and 
capable of great development they may of course start ambitions and 
tastes and habits \7hich greatly aid temperance and continence and high 
purpose all through life. In other words they may tend to develop 
character and personal attitudes of self-guidance , which will doubtless 
carry over also in some degree, hov7 much we do not know, into sex control. 

The nature Hov/ever effective these substitute interests may be for 
of refine- emergencies and protection, they r^ust be supplemented by 
ment and something which more positively guides the young persDn 
sublimation to „ use his , sex nature itself for the builcUn,'': up of his 
and own character . Sex is much more than a thing to be evaded 

combination, or even controlled. It is to be used for great ends as well 

as for great happiness. The .most vital method of right 

control of sex is the wise human use of it . This demands 
that direct attention be given in youthful education to the sex impulses 
themselves, to the various uses which sex serves in personal and social 
life, and to all the intellectual, emotional, esthetic, social, and moral 
qualities which in any way tiiodify sex. 

The impulses and satisfactions of reproduction and sex in 
human beings are not confined to sensuous desire and physical intercourse. 
They include all the intellectual and emotional attractions and pleasures 

of companionship and comradeship between men and women, or chivalry and 
confidence v/hich grow out of these, of courtship, of appreciation and 
devotion of lovers, of anticipations of home and marriage and family, of 
hopes and realization of fatherhood and m.otherhood, of idealism, and 
devotion to all the human enterprises in which men and v;omen supplement, 
inspire, and support one another. The sex impulses are closely related 
also, as we have seen, to our sense of beauty, to our ideas of justice 
and fairness and honor, to our social sense and ambitions, and to our 
moral and religious nature and convictions. 

Ref i nem ent and sublimation mean that v;e can put the pleasure 
and satisfaction and happiness of these higher and more social forms of 
sex relation and expression before young people in such a way as to make 
them willing to forego the grosser sex expressions in order that they may 
enjoy the finer. It means giving up the pleasures of lust in order to 
have a fuller measure of the happiness of love later. It is the sub- 
stitution not of some other interest alien to sex, but rather of th<fc 
very natural flower of the sex impulse itself. 



84, 

Combination means that T7e can strengthen and iTiake more 
vivid the sit^nif icance and the plea.sure of the higher sex satisfactions 
if v/e associate those v;ith certain other satisfactions of high grade. 
For example, a vivid interest in and enthusiasm for human evolution 
tov/ard better conditions \vill cora'bine with and strengthen the purpose of 
self restraint and the highest use of the sex f\;inctions in an individual. 
A sense of beauty or of honor in a man's thought of his relations with 
women will give very high and positive aid in v/ise sex hv^havior. A 
profound conviction that there is intelligent direction and purpose in 
our wonderful universe - order, and a religious sense of responsibility 
to that order, v/ill combine with the sex nature not only for its control 
but for its best use. There are very few of the v;orthy or beautiful 
interests of life which may not thus combine with sex qualities. 

Some of "Sublimation" does not mean eliminating or even diminishing 
the sex interest. This probably cannot be permanently done by 

elements any device whatever. It only means that the interest is 
in sex shifted and, so to speak, precipitated in a more permanent 
sublimation, for^i - as water vapor may be sublimated directly into solid 

ice without having passed through the intermediate fluid 

state. Our first animal sex desires may be delayed and 
much of their zest turned into the most esthetic and ethical forms of 
love. The following are some of the factors to be reckoned with in 
sublimation. 

1. Any impulse which naturally offers both keen physical 
and psychical gratifications can be sublimated. The problem is to 
increase the psychical at the expense of the ra©re physical. An impulse 
v/hich presented only a simple physical gratification could scarcely be 
sublimated, though v;e might control it throu.^^h substitution, 

2. Impulses in which the individual could indulge un- 
restrainedly the keen physical gratifications v/ithout limiting thereby 
the more spiritual satisfactions could not be sublimated. On the other 
hand if the higher satisfactions can be developed at their best only by 
some mastery, restraint and sacrifice of the physical we are forced to 
choose betv/een these satisfactions . This necessary choice between a 
more physical, more present, and often keener and more transient 
satisfaction and one more permanent, more general and more spiritual 
insures that human beings will either degrade their sex impiilses to 

the physical level or sublimate them to intellectual and emotional 
levels, xxll spiritual progress of the race has come by just this 
sacrifice of the lov/er satisfaction. 

3. An animal, or a human being, v/hich cannot anticipate 
happiness in the future and by imagination bring some of that future 
satisfaction into the present, is not equal to sublimating its strong 
impulses and activities. These finer sex desires for the future can 
help a young man and v/oman control keen present desires and order their 
conduct in respect to sex only to the degree that they can picture to 
themselves the kind of comrades, sv,-ee the arts, husband or v/ife, and 
parents, they want to be, and can get greater plej-sure now out of that 
more permanent future happiness than they can out of physical indulgence. 
In this struggle the physical gratifications usually have the advantage 
that they are more keen and more present. Tlio psychical and social 
satisfactions, v;hile more diffuse and remote, are more permanent and 
connect up in consciousness more generally with esthetic and ethical 
appreciations, life philosophy, and social purposes. 



65. 

4. The reprossion or restraint of a coarser aspect of 
sex indulgence by the desire f..r the comfort that comes from a higher 
form of sex cehavior is the most democratic, personal and permanently 
satisfying control v.hich human tein^s can possibly achieve. Such 
control is least liable to be accorapahied by unsatisfied tensions and 
complexes in personality for the reason that the motives for control 
are the most native, convincintj, and the least artificial possible. 
In this v/ay v;e use in the individual, to control the lov;er forms of 
sex expression, the very antagonistic impulses which in the evolution 
of the race have de^reloped these higher and more social aspects of the 
sex impulse itself. V7e are letting the individual follov; the racial 
evolution. It is therefore, the least arbitrary control -.-hich can be 
found. The urges, the choices, and the satisfactions and dissatisfac- 
tions, v;hen thus handled, belong to the individual himself. .\11 the 
mature person needs to do is to help the youth to malte each choice in 
the clear light of all the facts instead of merely in the mists of 
desire and inexperience. 

Some of the 0^:xr ability as human beings to reinforce or v/eaken one 

elements in motive and satisfaction by coupling it consciously v.lth 

successful another rests largely upon tvo facts: 

combination 

of imp)ulses. 1. Haere are certain of these impulses and satisfactions 

which naturally support or anta.^onitie ahers. For example, 

curiosity and inertia or love of ease are in conflict, as 
are desire for personal license and dusire for approval of others. In 
a similar v/ay emotions of fear are a counterpoise to many other motives. 
On the other hand the play impulse and curiosity supplement each other 
in producing activity; and love of approval and the glo'.: of having 
helped a \7eaker person (the "superiority complex") may supplement the 
less iceen spirit of sharing to stimulate gen^-rosity of conduct. 

2. If v/e have a strong emotional feeling of satisfaction 
or of disgust connected with any impulse or activity, and either in- 
cidentally or consciously other impulses or motives are brought closely 
into connection v;ith the first, these latter impulses tend to take on 
some of the emotional state of the other, and there is a bond either of 
strength or repulsion betv/een them in consequence. For example, a 
child about to enjoy some candy or an orange might be thv;arted in that 
enjoyment by the visit of oth;-r children. The resiilt might be the 
beginning of an aversion to company. Or if the pleasure of the com- 
panionship proved to be great enoxigh, the result might rather be the 
beginning of v;illingnes3 to share in order to increase the joy of 
companionship. Of coiirse, the particular emotional bond and association 
in habit and attitude to result in such a sit-vS.tion -vould depend on 
many things. V/e are only making the point that the,se combinations .are 
significant in developinv: character, and must be 3yste:-iatically utilized 
by us to educate the impulses of our children . 



86. 

Combination Most of our hiunan interests, motives, and their 
of motives satisfactions combine 'vitli and modify the sex impulses 
making sex in one way or another. They may either make for wise 
difficult social control, or else make control difficult. ..montT those 
of control^ v;hich make for the increase of sex expression are the 

* following:- curiosity, desire to be amused and entertained , 

love of novelty and advanture, self assertion and desire 
for mastery, slyness and secretiveness. ■^''or example, unfaithfulness in 
married life is often due not to need of sex satisfactions nor to positive 
emotional lolre for another person or to definite sentiments of 
unfaithfulness, but to desire for nev; experiences and excitement. That 
these various biolOv^-ical and psychical factors have long been working 
in the ancestors of nan to increase propagation can scarcely be doubted. 

Combinations It is equally true that there are motives and attitudes 
of motives v/hich combine v/ith sex in such a way as to make for its 
aiding sex control and refinement and sublimation. Among these are: 
control. honor and sense of fair play, good-fellowship, and human 
sympathy; the feeling of pleasure in beauty, ejqpecially 
as applied to social relations, to character, to reputa- 
tion; the sense of self-respect; the motive of social evolution and 
improvement; sense of personal obligation for social progress; religious 
motives. 

For example, grov/ing out of a feeling of human sympathy and 
a sense of justice, the normal human mind can cone to see the lack of 
democracy and the inconsistency in one person exploiting another for his 
ovm. lust; or in claiming sex privileges for himself that he would not 
approve for all the other members of his family. 

The role of 'Thile the writer has tried to maintain that no philosophy 

satisfac- of life has a biological foundation which places satis- 

tion in faction or pleasure, instead of a sound adjustment to 

all control vital conditions, as the main end of action, he v;ould 

worthy of equally insist that satisfaction is broadly a measure of 

the name, adjustment and that no philosophy or ethics or pedagogy 

which ignores the satisfaction has any chance of being 

ri^^ht. 

The plea that one pleasure is as good as another, that 
pleasure is the chief and even of individual existence, that ev^ry 
individual should have equal freedom in seeking his satisfactions 
whether they be merely physical and present or social and remote is 
to deny the value of all the discrtvdnatiohs by means of which all 
conscious or rational evolution has proceeded and the hope for further 
progress. Pleasures and satisfactions call for the sane degree of: 
discrimination as do ideals and the choice of means to attain definite 
ends. It is as immoral and unscientific to choose the lowest pleasure 
as it is to accept the least probable conclusion. 

In character education, of v;hich sex control is an ir.- 
portant part, we cannot omit the satisfactions and pleasures growing 
out of choice and behavior. Our task is to insure to the individual 
better and more permanent satisfaction from sound behavior than from 
unsound behavior. Only so can we get adequate motives for, or habits 
of, such behavior, w'e shall never". be- able, even if it were desirable. 



67. 

to ignore satisfaction and happiness as motives in life. The "best v/e 
can do is ^rradually to improve and socialize the individual taste . 
discrimination , and fashion in satisfactions. 

The kinds The primary biological interest in sex is of course 
of satis- the pov/erful impulse tov/ard physical sex interoouree as 
factions a means of propagation. This is the central phenomenon; 
leading to and it is about this primary fact that the intense physical 
control of satisfaction first arose. The urges that lead to this 
sex action and the action itself are, under human conditions, 
impulses, the things that need control and guidance. Unless motives 

QVA satisfactions can be found stron^; enough, natural 

enough, attractive enough to restrain, harness, and refine 
this central desire and expression, then there is no hope for the 
psychical and social evolution v'hich otherwise seems ahead of us. 



Such 



high, controlling motives have only three possible sources: 



1. In the interest and satisfaction to be found in one's 
orm greater, future personal r/elfare and happiness. 

2. In the satisfactions coming from the consideration of 
the \velfare and happiness of other human beings, - as sweethearts, 
mates, children. 



3. In the satisfactions belonging to the possibility of 
social evolution of a higher order of human relationship. This last 
class includes the others, but is not included in them. 



88. 



Chapter VII. Ci?he Home as the Center of Sex-Social Health . 

Can \7e take There are many who, "because they regard the home and 
the mono- family as a supernaturally divine institution or because 
gamous home they see that the family is the most important and tenign 
for granted, of our evolved social relations or because they feel 

after all these a.-jes that its future is fixed and secure, 

thinlc that the monogamous home must be taken for granted. 
T}iese friends of the home feel that any effort to examine its roots and 
to appraise its value, as compared with possible substitutes for it, is 
unwise and destructive. They feel that any disposition to discuss these 
foxindations is really to let dorm the bars. 17o one can be less "illing 
to do this than the rriter* 

There are, however, at least two good reasons why we 
should continually be ready to examine the foundations of the home and 
family. In the first place, the very need of giving to each new genera- 
tion the best of cur social institutions and our standards in the most 
enlightening and rational way demands just such a democratic and 
scientific attitude of openness both to examination and to necessary 
changes. The only way to get the new generation to accept these standards, 
as a starting point, is to go into partnership with it in reappraising 
them. In exact proportion to progress in the scientific spirit and in 
democratic methods will this attitude of openness on our part be neces- 
sary. In the second place, we all knov; quite v;ell, vyhatever may be our 
theories about the monogamous home, that we do not have it nov; on full 
practice , and that it shows numerous v/eaknesses in practice which any 
conscious evolution must meet, in very positive wav, and eliminate, if 
v/e are hereafter to get its best value for hximan happiness and progress. 

Criticisms The modern criticism of permanent, contracted, monogamous 

of marriage marriage, as a means of solving the problems of reproduc- 

and the tion and sex, are chiefly as follov;s: 

monogcimous 

home. 1. The adaptation and harmonizing of the tastes, emotions, 

and purposes of people so intimately associated is so 

difficult that the yo^ong people oannot tell in advance 
whether they can ;:iake such satisfactory adjustments that a happy and 
improving home life will be possible to them. The result is that a 
very large proportion of marriages are not successful either for the 
mates or for the children. 

2. Holding together people who cannot happily adjust them- 
selves does not make for either personal happiness and -elf are, or for 
social service. Nor does it strengthen the hold of the institution 
itself. 

3. Our monogamous marriage, under such conditions, coupled 
with the division of labor of men and -omen, and our economic customs 
and laws, makes for dependence and parasitism on the part of wom.en in 
marriage, and in a large number of cases is dangerously neaT to a merely 
legalized form of prostitution. 



89. 

4. The average parents, being ignorant of psychology and 
•untrained in education, are poorly fitted to care for the education 

of children, particularly in respect to the fundamental things that 
malce up character. Because of the continuous intimate relations in 
family life and of their lack of skill, parents subject their children 
to illogical and capricious alternations of coddling and harshness, 
love and anger, which make for abnormality and complexes of the most 
serious sort in children. 

5. Combined with economic conditions our theorv of marriage, 
if we lived up to it, :70uld completely bar from satisfying sex relations, 
a large proportion of the human race, both men and v'omen v;ho for various 
causes cannot or do not assume the responsibilities of marriage. 

6. There has never been a race or a civilization which has 
lived up to the raoiaogamous ideal. Therefore, it is claimed, such a 
program cannot be regarded as a normal or practical expectation. Ilono- 
gamy \vould not succeed even so well as it does, in the opinion of these 
critics, but for the exceptions made to it, at so many points. Such 
exceptions are separation, divorce, a large degree of promiscuous sex 
relations, and formal prostitution. 

^e In estimating these criticisms we need first to understand 

biological the biolgical and social background of marriage. The home, 
elements in of course, is not strictly a human discovery. V/e have 
the home . abundant prophecies, and even examples, of it among the 

other animals. The social bees and wasps, many birds, and 

some mammals have developed the essentials of home and the 
relationships that make it successful. These underlying biological 
elements in any home are:- the production of offspring, the development 
of instinctive bonds of recognition and attachment betv;een the mates, the 
care and education of the offspring through considerable periods of time, 
and the development of the definite parental attitude on the part of one 
or both mates. All of these elements in home making man shares with 
various of the lov/er animals. There are also numerous subordinate elements 
that are attached to these, as - protection, comfort, food storing, per- 
manence of locality, etc. There has been among more sophisticated and 
materially minded people a tendency to make these subordinate and in- 
cidental ends a principal interest in marriage and home making. 

The child Both in evolution and in present biolog;ical importance the 
producing producing of children is , the first and most important home 
function. function . The mother, her powers of reproduction, her 

maternal instincts, and sacrificing activities lay the 

foundations. As we have seen, reproduction is a function 
solely for the advancement of the species. It involves sacrifices, both 
organic and voluntary, on the part of the mother. Ko matter v;hat other 
elements may be added, this relation of mother and offspring cannot be 
lost nor its effectiveness compromised, if the species is to continue. 
In a continuing society all other sex relations must be subordinate to 
suitable child production, and child care and education. There is no 
conceivable biological or social substitute which can be as effective 
as mother love. 



■U:^^ 



90. 

The The first social attraction to arise among animals is 
development the attraction of mates; but ■until there came a lengthened 
of mating period of maternal care for offspring, this bond between 
and its mates v;as transient and '"ith no social significance ex- 
bonds, cept that of fertilization. In most animals, hov/ever, in 

which mothers give continued attention to the offspring 

for a period after hatching or birth, there is also a 
growth of social bonds between the males and females. This becomes still 
more true in those forms which develop monogamous tendencies, as in the 
higher birds and higher maiDmals. These more intimate associations of 
mates and offspring lead in turn toward more perfect aarmony. In the 
animals just belov/ man, and most like Mm in structure and instincts, 
there is well developed monogany which may endure more than the single 
season. There is thus a definite and successful monogamous evolution in 
biological and human history which antedates and \mderlies all our con- 
scious social conventions and institutions. It is an organic and signifi- 
cant foundation of human social life, and is not the product of the tyranny 
«f either sex cr of artificial eooial taboos. It is in a high degree 
pragmatic. 

The Out of the increased caro of offspring on the part of 

development mothers and the more permanent and more social and emotional 
of relations between the mother and father, the male develops 

fatherhood . instincts of protection and care for both the famales and 

the young, ^he reproductive specialization of the female 

is the most outstanding difference between the sexes. Its 
drains upon both body and emotions definitely limit the social activities 
of mothers, 'wliatever her powers may be, the producing mother must give a 
considerable part of her energy to child bearing, and her other social 
duties must in the main accord with this. The male must in the division 
of labor take up more than his half of the other fiinctions. These are the 
basic facts underlyin;=^ the social and economic specialization of the 
sexes, \7hile the sacrifices of the male in reproduction are not so organic 
as those of the mother, the essentially sacrificing character of all re- 
production is emphasized by the way in which the male is thus dravm into 
the family circle and gradually acquires a certain tenderness and service- 
ableness for offspring largely through emotional relations to the mother. 
It is a good illustration of the essentially spiritualizing pov/er of the 
reproductive and sexual functions. This is shorn in very considerable 
degree among the song birds and in the higher apes, as well as in man. 

Primitive Both among human beings and in the animals just belov; man, 
unconscious the association of the young with the parents results in- 
education . evitably in much unconscious education in the tastes, 

behavior and habits of the young. In the human family we 

are just beginning to realize how fundamental and far 
reaching are these early impressions, images, desires, likes and dislikes, 
attitudes, and habits, which the child forms unconsciously and which .too.' 
often the parents build up unwisely and equally unconsciously. This is 
tbe first, and one of the most important and least understood of the 
educational influences of the family. It needs study in order that it 
may be used for the greatest good. 



91. 

Conscious Along vath. and following this early education, the home 
child is, and is peculiarly fitted to he, if the parents are 
rearing equal to the task, a place for the conscious personal and 
and social education of children. In our specializing 

education . civilization most of the so-called "formal" education is 

given outside the home, presuraahly hy specialists „ The 

long intimacies of the home and the sympathetic emotional 
life v;hich is natural because of all the things mentioned ahove, make 
possible however as nov/here else in society, the education of the spirit, 
the cultivation of tastes, desires, motives, attitudes, satisfactions, 
and habits, which, as v/e have said, constiiute character. It is without 
question that the social and serving qualities necessary to those who 
believe in an evolution of society and of the social spirit, as contrasted 
v;ith mere -personal and selfish success, are best shown in home and fanilj' 
life in spite of all its imperfections. 

This home spirit and structure therefore make possible the 
transfer to children of the social inheritance ■.vhich the parents possess 
in an atmosphere which is the most sympathetic to be found in any of our 
human relations. The home, if it only understands the method, is capable 
of making this transfer more persuasively and democratically than any 
other institution can. Next to propagation itself this education of 
children is the most important fimction of the sex and reproduction re- 
flexes and satisfactions. This is said in spite of all the admitted 
imperfections of homes and parents. The imperfections can and must be 
overcome. 

If the sympathies and sacrificing spirit of parents make 
possible the care and social education of children, it is 
equally true that doing this has, through the generations, 
improved the spirit of the individual parent and the breed 

of parents, .^s John Fiske has shown us, infancy has 

lengthened, docility has tended to increase, and parental 
care has become more sympathetic and permanent in the course of the 
development of this institution and its spirit. That these qualities are 
and have been of high practical value in social evolution seems very 
certain. 

The essential biological elements in home making theii,- 
painstaking parents, reproduction and care of children, considerate and 
happy mates, lengthening infancy and childhood, and increased educability 
of children, make a benevolent cycl e in which each element may normally 
react to improve the others. The home and the family life v.-ith all their 
varying traditions and forms have grovm out of this evolutionary history. 
In turn the family has contributed more to social evolution than anything 
else has done. The family rules and practices are not merely arbitrary 
or chance conventions, depending on the whim of the superstitious or of 
autocrats. 

The lei son It does not follov/ of course that conscious, rational 
from attention may not greatly improve the home and family life 
evolution. and the education of children. Indeed this improvement is 

just what we hope and expect. Our highly artificial human ' 

evolution has introduced many new and difficult problems 
which were unknovm in the primitive monogamy of early evolution. The 




92. 

clear duty of reason seems to be to find conscious solutions for the 
difficulties and shortcomings of the family rather than to destroy the 
chief evolutionary foundation upon which our social progress has rested. 
These facts do suggest, however, that v/e cannot safely junk the family, 
its functions, the esthetic and ethical concepts bade of it, nor even 
the form it has take, without -being sure that any proposed changes 
better the performance of the v/ork done now by the family . 

The social From this brief account of the evolution of sex social 
necessities relations in man and higher animals we are in a position 
to be to summarize and outline certain things, ^-hich for the 
conserved . sake of maximum welfare of the race and of individiials 

we may regard as essential, some-vhat in the order of 

their importance. V/e must seek, in any solution we offer, 
to conserve in the highest degree possible these necessary utilities and 
desirable happinesses :- 

1. The production of the best possible children in most 
suitable- numbers. This is the first consideration, and involves among 
other things the application of all we can learn of heredity and eugenics. 

2. The transfer to these children by example, by teaching 
and by training, in the most discriminating and sympathetic and con- 
vincing possible way, the important experience of the race and the best 
possible interpretations of this experience v/hich the parents can make. 
This is a matter of "social inheritance", and is the most important 
determiner of "character". (See Part II. Chap. 4). 

3. The cultivation in the parents, both through their 
mutual relations and their relations with their children, of the best and 
most effective emotional, intellectual, social, esthetic and moral 
qualities of parenthood. This should make then not merely good parents 
but finer individuals as well. 

4. The maximum happiness, stimulus and growth which can 
come to the mates, as individuals and as partners, from the sex and other 
relations, - including the whole range from the phsycial to the spiritual. 
This implies that there is unity in the sexraletion of mates; that 
physical intercourse, while degrading if spiritual love does not exist, 

is when coupled with the high psychical union one of the most distinctive 
human sacraments. The spiritual element would never have existed except 
for the physical. And when they both exist each normally heightens the 
other. This full sex life in turn makes for better parenthood. 

5. The meeting of the individual sex-social needs of those 
who are not mated, in such ways as to avoid as far as possible injurious 
tensions, distresses, complexes, or ne-oroses,- v;hile conserving the social 
welfare and progress for which the home stands. 

Two basic Aside from the difficulties which two different human 
instincts . beings have of making smooth and harmonious adjustments of 
involved . their characters in any continuous and intimate relation- 

ships, there are two groups of different, but related, 

impulses involved in these family situations, - the re- 
productive and parental on one side and the sexual on the other, ^/hile 



93. 

biologically and socially parenthood is the essential thing, con- 
sciousness has done more to bring individual sexual desires and satis- 
factions keenly into play than it has reproduction and the parental 
impulses. In point of evolution the more social act of reproduction 
is more basic. In point of time and emotions the sexual precedes re- 
production in any home and arouses keener and more individual states of 
consciuusness. In a peculiar f/ay, therefore, these two groups of 
functions v/hich have been gror;ing more closely united all through 
evolutionary history have come into rather definite conflict withint 
the individual thought and behavior in his conscious efforts to 
realize satisfaction. The individual gratification and happiness of 
sex relations and satisfactions a.^e often placed in the balance against 
the sacrifices for social welfare and for the conservation of the 
species, v/hich reproduction represents. 

Questions Putting these functions and their impulses, which are 
arisin g organically related, into antagonism raises some very 
from these vital and interesting questions about the -whole problem 
j-nposi ng of the relation of males and females in the human species :- 
impulses . Shall society prevail in regulating these re?.ations; or 
shall the individual? Or is there some effective way to com.promise? 
Shall personal gratification and happiness determine sex relations or 
shall collective welfare? Shall love (including its whole range) 
organize the relations of men and v;oraen, or shall propagation and 
culture of children for future society? Are these interests really 
or only seemingly in conflict? If in conflict is there any sound 
basis of reconciliation? In such reconciliation, which furctions 
should take precedure? 

The mono - The monogamous family, based on faithfulness and constancy 
gamous of mates, very largely the result of unconscious trial 
family as and error in evolution, and somev-hat consciously experi- 
an an swer. mented with and adopted theoretically and rationally as human 
to these beings have moved -toward the present beginnings of civili- 
ques tions . zation, most nearly represents humanity's answer to these 
questions. 

As we have seen this answer has been largely biological, 
organic, and unconsciously built up; only in minor degree has it been 
the result either of conscious prejudice and taboos or of conscious 
reasoning. 

In a general way the theory of monogamous, permanent 
marraige represents: 1) Individual choice of mates through the motive 
of love, tinctured by the leaat possible mixture of consideration for 
fitness in reproduction, and too largely by selfish and material 
considerations; 2) control by society of the conditions and duration 
of the relation, onee they are entered upon; 3) large individual freedom 
within marriage, as to the spirit and emphasis v.'ith which the partners 
carry out their own love life; 4) individual freedom to determine whether 
they will be parents; and 5) a mixture of social and individual control 
of the education of the offspring. 



94. 

On excmin&tion of the elements this does not look to be 
Eii unfair or tm^rdp-sing oeginning for a division of responsibility "be- 
tween the individual caid society v/itli- a considerable admixture of 
freedom to the individual. I:'' o may hope for a more intelligent and 
rational performance of all those special functions, both those of the 
individuals atid those of society, sucii marriage rnd home life v/ould 
scorn capable of being made to conserve the most vital needs of society 
v/ithout destroying any essential individual initiative, freedom or 
happiness. 

B5i3 grosser Ihe whole problem is further complicated by the great 
pjnd the more range of the sex desires and relations tliat vje noizQ 
re f .-^.ne d "love" « Ihis desire end. term may be applied to the more 

aspcots passion for physical intercourse and its satisfactions, 

of sex « gnd largely'' racr-ns Just that in much of the mythological 

. and early historic and esthetic use of the terra; or th the 

most rich and human physical and spiritual relations 2nd 
devotions which men end women may have for each other; or for any degree 
of combination of these physical rnd psychical elements. It may be 
admitted once for all that the psychical love is a by-product of the 
physical. But, as is frequently the case with by-products, it has become 
of more refined and far«-reaching !7alue than the more basic gratification. 
In its finest., most considerate form it justifie-s and crrries v;ith it the 
normal gratification of the physical* If indiriduals in e:cpressing their 
desires were ahvays guided by such spiritual elements, there would be 
little need or ground for society being solicitous about the contract 
itslef or the permar.ency of the relation or in any %7ay interfering with 
individual freedom in sex relations* 3he v/hole basis and necessity for 
social, rather thm individual, control of sex relations is that humcn 
beings as endowed at present are not uniformly in possession of this 
spiritual point of view* The essential question is« - Hov/ can society aid 
in controlling the physical aspects of sex relations that are not accom- 
panied by real h":ia£in love , in such a way as to encourage and magnify that 
complete, unified, and permanent physical and spiritual sex relationship 
which will best serve the interest of children and the happiness of 
mates? 

A solution . In several ancient civiliza,tions these three motives and 
. grades of sex functions were recognized aiid provided for 

in social customs. In Greece, for eXv-ynplOj, in its most 
flourishing periods lesjding men had the follov;ing independent sex 
relations:- 

i) A 2il§.« 2he mother of the chi liren and the head of 
the household. She v/as expected to be faithful and constant in sex 
contacts and thus to transmit pure the name and the honor of the head 
of the family. iChis was the social, reproductive relationship, 

2) A fav orite , or co-urtesan, with whom he satisfied the 
emotional, intellectual, esthetic longings as well as the physical. 
2hese relations depended solely on the duration of the psychical attrac- 
tions. Ihis was the romantic relation. 

3) Concubines, usually slaves, who were kept for physical 
satisfaction and variety. 



95. 

The ma.,1or Biologically, in an autocracy in which a few men r/ere 
assiam-ption masters, this polyganxJUs division of function has a 
in this kind of directness of logic which is most interesting, 
arrangement » It assumes however that man has sex needs and privileges 

which women do not and should not have; that some men 

have the right to exploit other men, as well as women. 
If v;e allow these premises v;e cannot quarrel '.vith the solution. V/e 
have seen however that there is no sufficient grounds, in what we 
laiow either of biology, psychology, or sociology, to justify the view 
that men any more than women,- or either men or v/omen,- must have sex 
intercourse on the ground of health or of welfare; or that either 
actually needs variety in sex intercourse. We have also seen that 
reproduction, as the most basic form of sacrifice and unselfishness, 
and therefore the beginning both of society and of the social and 
democratic spirit, is antagonistic to the exploitation either of one 
sex by the other or of one person by another. If democracy is a sound 
human ideal we can justify no special selfish privilege to either sex 
or to any individual. The conscious effort must be toward a mutual 
relation of consideration and service in the interest of the v;hole 
hitman group. The spirit of sacrifice which is intrinsic in reproduc- 
tion itself is the essential and only ground for ^ truly social ethics 
and for any evolution other than winning selfishly by force and by 
exploitation of the weak. In other words our only hope of a distinc- 
tive social human development depends exactly upon denying both of the 
foundations of this aristocratic and selfish solution of the sex life. 

More If our social consciousness has reached the place where 
modem v/e would deny or even question the right of exploiting 
solutions. those who are for any reason weaker, for our ovm gratif i- 

, " '. ^___ cation, and condemn a merely lustful physical gratification 

of sex without psychical love, we would also rule out as 
^msocial and unwholesome any system of prostitution or promiscuity or 
concubinage in which men use women casually for gratification. '.Ve must 
condemn also such easy making and breaking of marriage relations as would 
merely legalize progressive polygamy and discourage any feeling of respon- 
sibility for permanent adjustment. In reality the Greek method was more 
honorable than this solution, which is our own. In the former the male 
was at least responsible in certain perm-^nent forms of obligation to each 
class of females. In our o\-m these mitigating elements are lacking 
altogether. 

The If we are to have a home and family life which carries 

democratic proper production and permanent care of children, and the 
solution . physical and spiritual accord of mates which will give them 

the confidence and assurance v;hich alone can nourish and 

ripen their ovm sexual happiness and make them into 
effective parents, society must usu every constructive device to help all 
eligible individuals to be mated suitably, to heighten their trust and 
faithfulness for one another, to increase their knov/ledge and appreciation 
of the pleasures, the duties, and the technic that make for success in 
sex relations, and to safeguard their married life from external dis- 
rupting influences. This includes aueh improvement of ecnnomic, educa- 
tional and social conditions as will both encourage marriage and make for 



96* 

v/ise discrimination in marriage; such, education in respect to sex and 
other elemeats of personal character as will fit individuals in 
iQiov/ledge and in attitude to prize marriage and to use it most fully 
ty full, unselfish mutual adjustment; and the fullest possible education 
in all the ideals, needs, and practices of good parenthood. In a nega- 
tive waj'' it means such methods of breaking hurtful married relations 
as v/ill least interfere \;lth the positive social functions served by 
sex, marriage, and reproduction. 

Continence It is at this point that ihe problems of abstinence from 
and faith" sex intercourse on the part of the young and unmarried, 
fulness and of faithfulness to the- mate during marriage become 
again acute. Ihe ethics of love and marriage cannot be simply 
an arbitrary matter, or a matter of law; it must be con- 
cerned v/ith the success of marriage gud paraithood as a means 
of maximum social function and adjustment, and mvist have within it the 
spirit-ual grounds of success. If continence and faithfulness, viiich are 
absolutely necessary to successful monogamy, cannot be had on an educational 
and human basis, mere control by rules of church or state will avail us 
nothing. Do irregular and promiscuous sexual gratifications of yoimg men 
or women before marriage, which are for the most part on a physical plane 
merely, militate against fine sympathetic, permanent monogamous ones in 
v;hich the physical and psychical are fully blended? Do such irregular re- 
lations after marriage interfere with the fullness and happiness of married 
functions? Does a feeling of permanence in marrage conduce most to its 
success or to its failure in these spiritual elements? Would it help or 
injure the usefulness of marriage to raal^e it less permanent and more sub^ 
ject to individual ficlcLeness in psychical love? 

The final objective scientific aiisv/er , if there is one, 
cannot now be made to some of these cuestions. 'Hiese are the points of 
chief attack ij^on the ided did practice of monogamous marriage today. 
And in truth we do not have the facts which would enable us to say 
whether a relaxation or a hai'dening of the conditions of marriage and 
divorce would aid the sexual morality of mai-riage. Much is being said 
on both sides of this question by friends of the home. V/iiat is said 
on one side or the other is very largely a matter of personal bias, rather 
than of scientific certainty.- 

Certain However, if we are correct in thinking that monogamous 

relevajit marriage relations are tlie outcome of a progressive, in- 

observ- creasingly meaningful organic evolution, and are the 

tions. present bulwark of the most social child-producing and 

child-rearing institution \*.ich our consciousness has yet 

perfected, and are therefore to be preserved and improved, 
certain statements are at least reasonable. 

All sex-social adjustraeits must be made in the interest 
of the performance of tiiese essential functions; ttiey must be concerned 
with what will normally aid these ends rather than with the desire of 
those who advocate practices which tend to defeat these ends. Ihey must 
deal with the methods and conditions ^^iiich are in normal accord with 
these objectives and not with exceptions. "Normal" and •••exceptional" here 
have nothing to do with numerical frequency, but are related to the ends 
to be attained. 



97. 

Should For example, the cJonciitions of social control of 
carriage marriage cannot be deter.tiined by and for those who 
re^axilations consider only or chiefly the physical gratifications of 
encourage sex; or for_ those on the other hand v;ho have only an 
real intellectual interest in it. It cannot be ordered for 
marriage or those unstable and emotionally unbalanced persons v;ho 
temporary profess to be able to feel the full spiritiial bond for 
relation ? several of the other sex at once, or in quick succession, 

and v'ho desire to add to this "soul" sympathy the physical 

gratification. If '.'e are to encourage the talcing up of the 
social and economic responsibilities of marriage and those states of 
confidence and Mppiness and faithful devotion vhich accompany and are 
a necessary part of love in marriage, v.-e cannot organize the method of 
marriage so that its coarser and more transient satisfactions stand 
v.'ithin easy reach to those who .are v.'illing to gain them by a mere pretense 
of the higher. 'Ve cannot solve the sex problem of the young and the 
unmarried or the lustful, in such ways as to make true marriage itself 
seem either less rewarding or less secure. Finally, if permanent sex. 
relations are necessary for performing the home functions, the conditions 
of marriage must be set for the sake of, and the premiums of society must 
be put' upon, those v/ho in good faith assume these responsibilities, and 
not upon those vho for economic or other reasons remain , unmarried. 

The In other v.-ords, if the permanent monogamous home is neces- 

1 imitation sary to realize the best human progress, then society is 
of sex under obliga-ti on only to devise a system of marriage v/hich 
"rights ". will best meet these needs. It is not under obligation to 

wreck this system to meet the desires of the exceptions. 

There is the claim by some writers on this subject that 
there is some individual right involved in the gratification of sex 
impulses. As a matter of fact this is no more an individual right than ■ 
the privilege to hold large possessions in a competitive regime, Both 
"rights" alike depend upon effective personal aptitudes and the asqent • 
of the social organism. Further, sexual (and still less reproductive) 
functions are not individual . In their simplest form they always involve 
directly another individual7 Indirectly, they influence large numbers. 
Both- reproduction and sex gratification are social privileges, not in- 
dividual rights. The results upon human welfare, atmosphere and attitudes 
therefore must be carefully scrutinized for the good of the race. V/omen 
have just as much rie/ut as men to any possible from of sex' satisfaction, 
and neither can have any right to use the impulse in v/ays v;hich ^'ould be 
socially d es tructive i f \mad e universa l. 

Jealousy In their zest to provide for love - that continuing at- 
^^d Ipye. raosphere of confidence and trust, which is indeed neces- 

^ sary to it, some modern writers on the subject inveigh 

against jealousy and the selfish desire of a man and v/oman 
for exclusive possession of the other. Their plea for the removal of. 
jealousy in the interest of freedom and variety "in sex relations is 
naive in the extreme. There would be no destruction of trust and con- • 
fidence as the result of unfaithfulness, if jealousy were eliminated, 
just as there' would be no individual law breakers if the laws' guarding 
society were suspended. Humanity is to gain sexual confidence by 
deadening its evolutionary instincts which long for it.» rather than by 



98. 

securing the control of behavior that merits it I Such shoddr' biology and 
psychology Ignores the fact that it is exactly jealousy, and its simpler 
biological antecedents, --hich have gradually brought about the begin- 
nings of the degree of monogamy ve now have. In the beginnings of 
selective matings v/hether leading toward a temporary polygamous or 
monogamous grouping of animals, the crassest sort of jealousy among the 
mates was as native and outstanding as v;as passion itself, if not 
directly a part of it. In its more diffuse forms it has been a con- 
stant adjunct to all selective mating, and stands strongly against 
promiscuit;ies. The qualities of confidence and trust between men and 
v/omen have not arisen through mutual indifference and promiscuous un- 
faithfulness on the part of mates, but rather by increased mutual de- 
mands and increased \villii:gness to sacrifice the selfish promiscuous 
satisfactions that would stand in the v/ay of confidence, v/e shall not 
make sexual or social progress by destroying the forces that have made 
us. To be sure, unconsidering jealousy, and jealousy may be as uncon- 
trolled as lust itself,- has been supplemented by many grotesque elementSf 
as by man's political supremacy, and his more selfish sex urges. Its 
role in sectoring sex controls in men and women alike should gradually 
give way; but it should give way only to the greater sexual control and 
social sense which make it unnecessary. Jealousy should be displaced by 
trust and confidence based automatically on lack of occasion for jealousy 
and on the control of the "desire for variety", rather than by a mutual 
disregard of the value of faithfulness. No conscious guidance of sex 
attitudes of confidence, and the freedom that comes from it by v'ay of 
increased appreciation of and devotion to the ideals of faithfulness, is 
more hopeful for society than the effort to secure confidence and trust 
dxiring irregular and free relations by stupefying the natural impulse of 
jealousy, and denying the social standards which have very largely arisen 
out of it. 

Basis for V/e have seen that biological evolution in the animals 
criticisms nearest akin to man and among primitive men as well as 
of mono - the more conscious evolution of recent h'jman history 
gamous point tov;ard permanent monogamous sex relations; that 
marriage . mcnogasBQue mating. has come in man and animals to have a 

clearly instinctive character; that in practice, in 

conscious man, it makes for confidence and happiness be- 
tween mates and tends to make care and rearing of children both secure 
and sympathetic;- in a word that it represents a distinct evolutionary 
trend both on instinctive and conscious levels .md serves better than 
anything thus far devised to bring about the two chief ends of mating. - 
the successful production and care of offspring, and the best develop- 
ment and happiness of parents. Nevertheless there is a real basis for 
the criticisms and difficulties which nor confront the monogamous home^ 
This basis is p-i,rtly in the complex nature of man himself and partly in 
the practical failures of the home to reach what may rightly be expected 
of it. The folltiwing are it le:i.st some of the eleiaents in these diffi- 
culties;- 1) The monogamous instinct itself is not fully fixed in us 
or, what is more likely v/ith a consciousness so highly developed as ours 
the elements in love and marriage and parenthood are so complex that the 
various elements may easily be at war and diminish the adjustment of 
the whole. For example, even with love fixed upon one person it is easy 
to see hov; consciousness might strengthen the esthetic appeal of beauty 
in one of another sex, or might exalt the desire for novelty, variety, 



i 



99. 

and excitement, or night malce the joys of a nev; pursmt seem greater 
than that of possession. Thus these sentiments v/ould be put in con- 
flict v.lth the older bonds and rnaice faithfulness and responsibilities 
and sacrifice seer2 irksome, There is nothing, hov-ever, in our whole 
social evolution indicating that an adjustment is undesirable or un- 
necessary and so to be escaped, merely because it requires self denial 
and even distress to reach it. 

2} .i.ny marriage, to be successful, demands of both parties not merely 
trust and fidelity in respect to sex, but considerateness, concessions, 
self control and sacrifice of many personal desires. Huraan nature has 
not yet reached the point ?;here these necessary qualities are either 
instinctive or consciously in the possession of the average human being. 
Indeed each of them often calls for the most persistent attention and 
effort. Host of the preniams of ease, luxury, freedom, and self In- 
dulgence lead us tovard both the avoidance of marriage and failure in 
marriage. Again, this does not in the least constitute an indictment of 
monogamous marriage; it is only an indication that we .^re not yet in 
perfect control of our impulses. 

3l The economic, personal, and social status of women in marriage is 
antiquated and intolerable in many v/ays. Therefore the increasing 
economic, intellectual and emotional independence of -vomen is giving 
women other interesting careers and interferes v?ith marriage, and with 
the use of many of the best v/omen for child production, 

4j There is an increasing individualism all through our civilization. 
In pursuits, such as literature or other forms of artistic expression, 
?;here this tendency is particularly accented, there arises a disposi- 
tion to regard oneself as entitled to peculiar sex, and other emotional 
privileges in the living of life no less than in its portrayal. .vS 
indicated above, marital solutions and social opinion cannot be organized 
to give such people freedom in irregular relations v/hic h if made universal 
v/ould destroy all homes. 

5) Akin to the above is the fact that the social, moral and religious 
sanctions grov/ing out of past experience, thinking, and prejudices are 
having less influence than ever before in the history of the race. 
This is loosening, the standards of sex and home life as truly as of 
other social holdings and customs. Society must find and reinforce 
premiums upon the v/holesome types of sex relatiors; that is to say on 
those Which produce the best social results. 

The alter - .Those, v;ho seriously attack the system of monogamous 
natives of marriage range all the v./ay from those who would do away 
monogamous with all social control to those \,ho v/ould merely modify 
marriage . the detaiiSi of the present -systeni, 'Ve may omit from 
controlled consideration, hov/ever, uncontrolled personal sex rela- 
by society . tions, which would mean for most of humanity temporary and 

promiscuous unions, v-'ith practical denial of parental care 

and responsibility for children. There is no present 
probability of humanity accepting such a self-destructive program. 
Similarly we may omit polygamy, as counter to our v/hole democratic trend' 
and to the reciprocal and equal rights of the sexes. 



100 . 

Certain indealistic individualists believe that v;e have 
resoiied the place v/here, if greater freedoin in sex relations vere given, 
a voluntary monoga:ny v.ould ensue. Forth"! th in their opinion, this 
\vould be, for those happily .aated, as permenent as any vie now have. 
For those r;ho v/ere not so fortunate there v/ould be a period of experiment, 
shifting and adjustment until the right i.iating was secured. Even such 
terporary unions v;ould (according to this theory) be vrithout the stresses 
of those v;hich now end in divorce or in separation, because of absence of 
constraint, and v;ould thus be more liir.ely to becone permanent. 

Certain ^ther sociolOtjists recom-iend m^irriage controlled 
by the state so far as family and reproductive relations are concerned, 
but allowing a freedom in non-narital love relations which would satisfy 
the desire for variety without destroying the home itself. Such 
arrangements would make allowance of course, without conde;:jiation, for 
love relationships, and even reproduction v/here desired, oa the part of 
people unmarried altogether. In these suggestions at their best the idea 
is that we could, by greater freedom and the ronoval of our social taboos, 
malce a larger number of mates congenial, secure reproduction from many 
women who now do not produce children, and relieve the psychoses and 
hysterias now claimed by pathologists as due to repressions of the sex 
life in the unmarried. 

These suggestions are not, I think, to be dismissed out of 
hand merely because they are relaxations of past customs. 
'..Tiere made honestly they agree in making an effort to 
conserve a voluntary home as the basie and normal solution; 
in trying to meet the numerous instances v-zhere homes 
cease to function either as desirable places for children or as a place 
of happiness for mates; in trying to eliminate commercial or clandestine 
prostitution and promiscuity by a more generally accepted, because more 
flexible, monogamy; in finding ways to regularize and improve exceptional 
sex relations which are now notoriously present, but furtive and con- 
cealed. 

The weakness Every device suggested as a substitute for permanent mcno- 
of the gamous marriage, with the individuals contractually re- 
substitutes sponsible to one another and to society for complete good 
for faith both in forming and keeping up the home, moves in 

monogamy . the direction of gratifying the sex desires and. of ob- 

taining the satisfactions growing out of them, v/ithout 

assturdng the full personal and social responsibilities of 
mating, permanent home-making, parenthood, and the care and education of 
children for which sex attracTion exists. ..ny departure from strict 
monogamy implies prostitution, parallel with home concubinage or pro- 
miscuity alongside marriage, polygamy, or some of the various forms of 
promiscuity covered as temporary or "trial" marriage to be broken on 
slight grounds, "free love", and the like. All these are in the direction 
of promiscuous mating. More promiscuous mating may cater to the licentious 
and serve to diminish repressions; but we have no evidence v.'hatever that 
humanity has reached a pls-ce where the average individu-al, if left free 
to choose between regular and permanent, self denying and responsible sex 



The 


kernel 


of 


sanity 


in 


this. 





101. 

relations on the one hand and temporary, irregular and near-promiscuous 
ones on the other, v/ill choose and adhere to the more sacrificing and 
more social. By such a device v/e V70uld not solve the social difficulties 
which we all admit are to be found v/ith many monogamous marriages. V/e 
would not, I think, solve even the individual tensions of those who find 
the present regime difficult. On the contrary promiscuous, irresponsible 
mating would bring so m.uch uncertainty and agony to individuals, particu- 
larly to women, that it v;ould be impossible, even if it had no hurtful 
bearing upon society and the bonds which hold it together. In addition 
to destroying our social aims, it would introduce more individual dis- 
tress and sex psychoses than we now have, as a matter of fact, with all 
the inexperience and v/eataiess of parents in the training of children, 
everything we Know about individual psychology or experimental education 
in character points to the fact that a happy home environment, with mother, 
father and children in their normal emotional and intellectual interplay 
furnishes the best conditions v/e have for getting the social-mindedness 
which is absolutely necessary for sane adult cooperative life. To destroy 
this ideal and possibility in the interest of the exceptional individuals, 
whatever their numbers, can scarcely command itself to socially-minded 
people as a rational solution, Such a device appeals to motives and pre- 
judices even more animal and primitive than are the taboos and fetishes 
v.'hich the individualist finds so richly at the basis of the institution 
of marriage. 

The Society need not hope to find a substitute for marriage 

essential and the home. '.That it must do is: 1) so to prepare young 
probleiTi . men and women in knowledge and emotions that they will 

appreciate beforehand the conditions of success in marriage, 

and be willing to make this success a first purpose in life; 
2) to create eugenic ideals of selection of mates alongside the more 
romantic and often superficial and transient bases of love v/hich now ob- 
tain; 3) to furnish beforehand by education the insight which will enable 
young people to make normally the transition from the first romantic 
and erotic emotions of courtship and the honeymoon to the more substantial 
and growing conjugal sympathy, comr-adeship and happy home life; and 4) 
a social control of marriage which is based not on rigid taboos and 
meaningless conventions, nor yet on the hysterical clamor of indivi- 
dualists v7ho cannot or will not control or sacrifice their personal 
lusts in the interest of human welfare without a psychical cataclysm, - 
but upon progressive knowledge of the biological, psychological, socio- 
logical and ethical facts of life, and hopes for progress. 

The home Whether we feel that the betterment of the home will come 
as the by firmer control by society of marriage and divorce and 
center of of all individual departures from the accepted social 
sex-social code, or by relaxing the social control and putting m.ore 
health . responsibility upon individ'aals, in order to educate toward 

a voluntary personal monogamy, it remains true that the 

standard of personal sexual behavior and social sexual 
fineness must always center in these homes. It is here that all we 
know of heredity and eugenics pperates to determine the future race; 
here takes place the most important early training, whether supplied 
consciously or unconsciously by the parents and the home environment; 
and it is here that the most effective education occurs by \7hich v/e 
transfer what we sometimes call the "social inheritance". It is thus 
the master agency of both nature and nurture. The conservation and 
improvement of its character and its ideals and its efficiency are all- 
important to the future of the race. 



102. 
Part III. Education of Yoimg People in Respect to Sex . 
Chapter I. The Nature. Scope. Ob .jo cts and Problems of Sex Education 
The Nature. Airas. Scope and ProlJlems of Sex Education , 



Ref.Time In Parts I and II. of this book, effort has been made to 
^ show how la-rge a part sex and reproduction play in the 
every day emotions, thoughts, activities, relations and 
happiness of mankind, and in both the development of the individual 
and the evolution of the species. It certainly is not putting it too 
strongly to repeat that none of our other impulses, interests and 
Ctf/iacities has greater influence in determining all that we hold 
valuable and dear. These sexual functions and qualities have much to 
do in .making or marring the perfection of the body, in giving character 
and vigor and variety to our emotions and intellect, in organizing the 
home, in establishing the relations in the fa.mly, in building up the 
sentiments of brotherhood and of social tolerance and sympatl-iy, in 
arousing the appreciation of beauty and interest in the other sex which 
culminates in affection, devotion and faithfulness and other personal 
feelings that give the richest joys ve know. At their best - sex and 
reproduction are hwuan large factors in giving rise to vigor, zest, 
love, marriage, home, happiness, esthetic satisfactions, to higher 
ethical and moral standards, and to sympathetic and social evolution. 
We have seen also that these sexual impulses are subject to the most 
thorogoing misuses and abuses, which result in bodily disease and 
death, personal unhappiness and torture Of mind, disintegration of 
individual character, and in social distrust and decay, as illustrated 
by broken homes, prostitution, illegitimacy, and the poisoning of 
future generations. 

p^tst It is probable that some conscious efforts have been 
under- made to meet and con^.rol these conditions created by 
standing sex from the early discovery of the importance of sex 
^nd to hum.n welfare. \i'hi le here .md there individuals 

efforts, and organizations have stud.ied these personal and 

social problems of sex and have taken certain special 
" " steps to solve them, it remains true that there has 
never been, until the present generation, a systematic effort to 
br^Tiff together al"* th..t experience, science, soofal feeling, philo- 
sop^, efhicll morals and religion'oan contribute and to combine and 
use this systematically, both to understand the problems and scen- 
ts fic-lly to influence and guide human thought and conduct in meeting 
them. Certainly the movement to do this is not prciratvire» Neither 
ignorance nor one^-sided gn,idauce can give us the proper understanding 
and mastery of this intricate and powerful factor in welfare. The 
time has come when the lovers of humanity in every field of life must 
point the way, and all the forward-lookf.ng agencies in each community 
must cooperate to follow the way of making sex and reproduction give 
the greatest possible good to humanity with the least injury. These 
functions must have as much attention in education of young people 
for life as they exert of influence upon life itself. 



103. 

V/hat human There are two cycles upon v;hich sex has profound in- 
"beings fluence , - That in which the individual passes from 
need in conceptioh through childhood, maturity, reproduction, 
respect to and to death; and the longer cycle of social and racial 
sex. evolution. Because of our high form of consciousness, - 

mental, emotional, and moral, - the individual human 

being is interested not merely in his ovm personal cycle 
of well-being, but at his best is concerned both with that of other 
specific individuals and ulth the present and future welfare of the 
race as a going concern. Society collectively is interested likewise in 
the fitness and success of all its individuals and also in making safe 
its own future. Of course the keenness of these feelings of interest in 
personal and racial v;elfare differs greatly in different persons and in 
different groups. 

This analysis of conditions gives us the clue to v;hat 
humanity needs and must have in respect to sex if it is to be either 
happy or great in social quality and in evolution. Me need to have the 
knowledge, the attitude and the ability- - 1) To use sex positively and 
finely for personal development and happiness; 2) To avoid abuses vhich 
would interfere with this personal end oi would prevent others from 
getting the greatest value froin their endowment; and 3) to foster, con- 
serve, and improve all social appreciation, sentiments, standards and 
institutions which from outside the individual aid individuals to use 
sex most wisely, and tend to generate a more complete and perfect sex- 
social evolution, 

Ho^- is Our huvian consciousness and powers of reasoning make it 
progress unnecessary that we shC'uld depend on the accidental, tri al- 
to be ha d and-error evolution of lov;er forms of animals and of 
in hu man primitive man. Vv'e can guide human evolution into whatever 
qualities ? direction we wish, within the range of our native capa- 

cities. Apparently there are three ways in v.hich this 

rational control of evolution may be gained: 1) V/e may 
improve the blood of the stock by selection and breeding ( euge n ics ) ; 
2) V/e may improve the general surroundings and conditions of life 
of all the members of the species so that their best, rather than their 
worst, natural qualities may be called out and rewarded and thus be fixed 
in habit; and 3) We may still more specifically educate and train each 
individual in early life by focussing the skill and understanding of 
society upon him, so that certain favored qualities may be artificially 
strengthened and made habitual. The first and second methods are largely 
problems of ordering the lives of adults. The third is even more largely 
a- direct v/ork for and upon children. 

^kS applied to sex, if we could control and experiment '-'ith 
hiiman breeding as v/e do among the farifi ani'.ials, there can be no doubt 
that a race of men could be produced by selecting and breeding together 
the coarse, selfish, unrestrained, highly physical unemotional indivi- 
duals, which would in generations accur;iul-.te these qualities in un- 
usual degree and would lack in the capacity of having or showing the more 
spiritual and social sex -■ qualities v/hich distinguish us :;.ost from the 
animals. In a similar .way we could, by eli.-iinating the other kind, breed' 
a type v/hich v;ould have in greater th^in usual degree just th«se huraane 
qualities of control and guidance of sex that we seek. 



104. 

V/here Hov.'ever» there is no probability that v;e can ever thus 
heredity control human choices and mating* V/e may be able to stop 
and altogether the i.iating of those v;ho are wholly unfit to 

eugenics reproduce; v/e uay find sound v/ays to limit the number of 
leave off. offspring of those who are of indiff'.Tent or doubtful 

stock; and we may be aole within limit to encourage the 

mating and child bearing of those who have high mental and 
social qualities. Possibly v/e may be able by social education and 
influence to change in the minds of young people, the standards of 
attraction and desirability, so that consciously the sentiment of remantic 
love may be fixed upon desirable social traits inst-sad of upon some un- 
conscious standard formed through parental fixation or reotic reading. 
Clearly, ho'WtVcjr, no iraraediate or decided improve-.nent in sex qualities 
(or in any other) can be t:c;?ecteci through exigenics. Farticularl/ -zince 
heredity cannot seize hold of the results of education or training or 
environment in an individual and pass them on, but can only work upon 
these combinations which are themselves inherited from former ancestors, 
there is no rapid piling up of the results of culture through inaerit:-nce 
.as we used to think. 

For '--any ages to come, then if not always, heredity leave 
us v.'ith just such a mixed population as w-e nov/ have in respect to all 
human qualities. It v.lll contain some twenty to thirty per cent, who 
have the animal passions of adults, along with po^'ers of understanding, 
discrimination and character ranging from blank imbecility to a mental 
age of 12 or 13 or thereabouts. There will be a large group, perhaps 
of 50 or 70 per cent, who have stantard capacities, but with every 
possible combination of inherited temperament and strength in all the 
numeral elements that go to make character. There will be in addition 
a relatively small per cent, of noticeably supernormal individuals, 
frequently nervously and sexually unsta'ble ., and more diffcult in many 
ways to fit into a social scheme than some of the subnormal types. This 
same grist will appear in every generation, with increasing percentages 
of these, who. are belov; the average in intelligence and spirit, because 
of their larger families. V/e shall be compelled to re-educate every 
nev; generation just as- though there were no such thing as heredity. 

The ',7e have long recognized that the environment of an indi- 
environment vidual may encourage or thv/art all his native capacities, 
as an The environment may furnish the opportunities for normal 
educator. or better than normal, expression and grov/th or may offer 
temptation for the most perverse i.iisuse of all ones de- 
sires and powers. Even in the lov/er animals the environment 
means all the difference betv.-een starvation and surfeit, bet"-een agony 
and cornXort, betv.'een death and life. But in all the higher, social 
animals including man, the general environment is highly educative as vrell. 
This education is largely unconscious; but it is none th., less p'owerful and 
universal for that, './e see ho-v it operates when v/e recall the trait of 
imitation on the part of the young and the power of public opinion and 
convention and fashions in influencing behavier. 



105. 

Fro:n the point of viev/ of character and of sex-social 
attitudes and "behavior, the social environmebt, 'begiiining in the home, 
is of the utmost importance. It both stimulates present sex conduct 
and establishes sex attitudes. V/e need therefore continually to be 
organizing the general adult social environment so that our yoxmg 
people v.'ill not bo swept off their f,.et by temptation, so that they 
shall find no unnecessary pitfalls, and even more so that the social 
.opinion both on the surface and deeper Aovm shall give stiraulation to 
all that is constructive and fine in them. 

This means the .aost thorough and repressive measures for 
all the organized and gross forms of social vice and perversion; the 
most scientific and constructive control of the theaters, recreations, 
amusements' and other social activities in which sex relations are 
often commercialized and abused; the aliraination of the artificial 
allurements to linsocial sex practices. It also means a deliberate 
effort on the part of mature people, consciously, systematically, 
intelligently and persistently to reorganize public opinion and ideals 
about sex in order that the normal and fine sex qualities of youth raiy 
be aided rather than hindered by our mature civilization. This doesn't 
mean- fanaticism; it means intelligence and provision. It means that if 
v/e really want sound sex character in the next generation v^e will not 
organize the present sex environment of our children so that not more 
than one in ten can succeed. Sometimes one hears the foolish statement 
that we are in danger of making our people v;eak ai^d spineless of character 
by trying to remove these social temptations v;hich have thus artificially 
been built up in society; that they need to learn' to resist temptation by 
having these temptations about them. There will always be abundant 
natural te uptations and difficulties in the way of youth to develop both 
resistance and initiative, without adding artificial ones, j:>. first duty ■ 
of human society is to make the general sex environment of young people 
•stimulative of the best rather than of the crudest and most injurious , 
sex ideals and expression. (This aspect of the question is more, fully 
developed in Part IV). 

Formal But it is not enough even to make a sound environment ai.d 
conscious then turn our children loose in it, inexperienced and driven 
aex-social by all sorts of natural and acquired desires and urges, all 
education. of v.^ich must be guided and some of which must be restrained, 

,_ and trust to their own i/apulses and observation to enable 

them to hit upon the wise course' of life. They must have 
both, their own natures and the conditions of the environment explained and 
interpreted to them in the light of all that v/e have discovered of success- 
ful life, in order that they in turn may use their sexual and other 
qualities to the best advantage. This adequate se-j;-social education is 
our best chance to help our children to solve from the inside the problems 
of their own lives as they arise. 

• Such conscious education of the young for definite purposes 
is a relatively recent thing in huiman evolution; and yet it is perfectly 
safe to say that the intellectual, emotional, and social progress made 
by the race during these few thousand years of even slightly reasoned 
education is greater than in all the ages of even -slightly reasoned educa- 
tion is greater than in all the ages of time before. In spite of the 
fact that heredity does not seem to pass on the results of education, our 
hopes of ■ really social and .cons trucvie human evolution in character and in 
behavior lie in education. 



106. 

Unconscious Of course in practice tiiert is no purxjost or gain in 
and con- trying to sepsrcte that pert of the educstion of the 

scious child's character aid attitude \/ith respect to sex, 

education, whicli comes unconsciously'- from the home life md fron 

the general atKosphere and ideals of the coirrnunity, 

from the consciously given instruction snd training 
Y/hich should nccomcpy and interpret it. 2he important thing is tliat 
we shall notallcwa r^ak or ^dcious unconscious education to destroy 
v/hat v;e try to teach in our formal instruction, - as is so largely 
true in the social ap_-lication of our religion; or shall not trust merely 
to the unaided general effects of the unconscious and uninterpreted social 
example and atmosphere, however, sound, ffliese must "both he made rigiit 
and harmonious in order to be in effective cooperation, 5his is the 
reason that each community should clean up its environi'nent, arouse the 
consciousness of the mature people, and create a sound cor/munitj/ se:5C 
opinion along with the particulejr instruction of the young in respect 
to their se2:-social privileges and obligations* 

What are If \ve are right in regarding sex education as only character 

the aims education in which sex is included at its full value, then 

of formal there sjre some specific and personal results in the child 
sex that we are seelcingj results which the child is not likely 

to get •unless sex phenomena are definitely considered and 

properly used in vMs education. It v/ill help in the organiza- 
tion of our methods if we try to discover what these are, Illiese aims seem 
to be:- 

1. Jo get right attitudes in the child toward sex and other related impulses . 
Ihis matter of attitude is always a priiTiary and basic problem in character. 
The attitude we seek is one of scientific interest end open-mindedness, 
about sex, of serious appreciation and respect and even v/onder and rever- 
ence, of personal responsibility for a wise and social use of the function; 

as against a secretive, light, facetious, vulgar or cynical attitude as 
is so frequently the result of our present treatirent of the subject. !ft) 
develop attitude means that we must educate understanding, appreciation, 
tastes, desires, likes and aversions. 

2, J?o develop the ability habitually to maJ;e this attitude effective is 
conduct . 2he most difficult problem in personal education is to bridge 
the chasm that lies bet>7een theoretical holdings and behavior. To do 
this meaiis to build up loiowledge and convictions, to give purpose and 
determination, and to train in habits, by furnishing practice in rish t 
conduct accompanied by satisfvin'^ premiu ms of pleasure. 

5. To secure an inner, satisfaction in contem'Platin,^ or performing so und 
.ge_x acts, amd discom fo rt and disgus t from practic es whic h ai^e biolo gically. 
I^sycho logically . esthetically. socially or morally unsound. 



107. 

\Ihen these inner qualities have been developed an in- 
dividual is in a fair position to solve his ovm reaction, to the 
problems of scz vhich coae to him fro;,! --ithin and without ing.ury to 
hinself or society. There is no other v;ay to do this task without 
harm. External control of sex conduct cannot effectually develop 
suitable sex character within; and it nay produce the nost disastrous 
pathological effects in character . 

The scope The kinds of data and natcrial that must be used in 

of sex educating youth with respect to sex conduct and character 

education, are as varied as the results of sex on hunan life and 

relations, v/hich have already been discussed briefly in 

this chapter and in earlier parts of the book. This is 
to say, that v/c i.'iust use, in order to get the right results in character, 
the actual facts and problens of sex as these have Bhovm theinselves in our 
social life. Those include all the helpful and the hurtful for^ns of Sex 
expression, and tlic influences of these both upon the individual, upon 
organized society, and upon the blood of the race. 

Discrinina- while this is true we cannot use all the sex phenomena and 
tion in the problor:.s v/ith equal effectiveness in our effort to enable 
use of charactei* to guide itself wisely in its sex expressions. 
these data. Some of our greatest teaching difficulties arise in 

. selecting the most suitable materials and in making the 

most appropriate emphasis . Character education demands 
the very closest possible grading of the subject matter to the develop- 
ment of the individual, very much more than does mere imparting of in- 
formation. 

In the list which follows, of the chief classes of data 
v;hich the child needs instruction and which will be of greatest service 
in developing the attitudes and habits and satisfactions that constitute 
character, an effort v/ill be made to sxoggest at what points and in what 
degree they contribute to our aims. 

Classes of No entirely satisfactory classification of sex problems 

sex data can be made because of the complicated overlapping of the 

and their personal with the social elements and the normal v;ith the 

special perverse. These chief groups may be listed :- 

values in 

education, 1« The normal, constructive work , of sex and reproduction in 

building up the individual, when normally and wisely. used > 

This refers to the facts discussed at length in Chs, 1 & 2, 
Part II. It includes the role of sex in building the body, in producing 
the differences between males and females, in building up the attractions 
and relations between them, in enriching the emotional and esthetic powers, 
in increasing the sympathies and devotions of life. These data, and the 
interpretations naturally growing out of them, stand at the head of the 
list as of the very greatest importance in the development of good 
attitudes in respect to sex before and at puberty, ^xhey should be made 
preliminary and basal to all other sex instruction. The difference in 
attitude of a normal child v/ho has been given this view of sex as compared 
v/ith those v/hose instruction has come from the street v/ill be profound. 



108, 

2. The forms of personal misuse of sex and the resul ts 
of these . This includes premature sex excitement, masturbation, pro- 
miscuous or excessive sex intercourse, and the effects of these upon 
physical or mental development and on self respect, '.and the likelihood 
of personal infection with the venereal diseases. The appeal of these 
facts is just th'3 opposite of that in the preceding section. This appeal 
is to the fear of ill effects. wTiile much less important and constructive 
for character than the positive elements, this knowledge has some re- 
straining value especially vhere connected v/ith the positive. This should 
follo^v and he subordinate to the material in 1. 

3. The facts of sexual hygiene, or personal health in relation 
to the sex organs and . functions . Narro-vly conceived, as it usually is, 
this includes merely the knov/ledge and practise which will allov/ the sex 
organs to develop and to function normally. I'lany people regard this as the 
full scope of sex education. So conceived it is valuable only to normal 
personal health and development. This is worth v/hile, but it has little 
necessary meaning for character; no more in fact than the hygiene of di- 
gestion or of exercise. In a somewhat more comprehensive, but entirely 
legitimate sense, sexual hygiene should pertain not merely to keeping normal 
the development of the sex organs, but equally it should embrace the health 
of all those bodily powers and developments which depend on the sex secre- 
tions, and quite as much the perfection of the emotional esthetic, and 
other character elements v/hich depend so profoundly on sex. The vulgar 
mental attitude which children and adults get toward the whole problen- of 
sex is just as really an unh'-'gienic state as delayed or painful menstruation. 
The mental depression coming from indulgence in masturbation is an really 
unhygienic sexually as is masturbation itself, and may be much more in- 
jurious. The mental and moral attitude of a degenerate who habitually thinks 
of^ every girl, 'vho passes as a means of gratifying his sex desires is as 
specifically unhealthy and diseased as is sexual infantilism or sterility. 

In other words B'exual hygiene should connote sane and normal mental, 
esthetic and moral hygiene of sex development no less than the biological. 

4. The social and racial values of sex . This includes the 
outcome upon the organization and evaluation of human society of all the 
sex qualities, attractions, sentiments, emotions and devotions outlined 
in 1. Some of these valuable sex-social features are:- courtship and 
marriage, home and family, the development and education of children, 
and the contribution which all these have iTiade to the larger social 
structure. Similarly the socia value of sane selection of mates, of 
transmission of qualities by hereditj^ and the value of being well born 
(eugenics) belong here. As the personal contribution of sex in making life 
is the most important groups of' ■''acts for education in early life, so the 
understanding of the social values of sex and of the means of realizing the 
best preparation for monogamic marriage and parenthood is of greatest value 
to adolescent youth. 

5. The outcome in organized society of perverse and uncon - 
trolled use of sex . This includes the breaking up of homes and families 
throu h lust and unfaithfulness, diseased and defective families through 
infection in promiscuous intercourse, illegitimacy and the disgrace of 
unmarried mothers, prostitution and the general threat of the venereal 
diseases. The educational value of these facts is like that of 2 above, 
in that they make an appeal to fear; and yet they do have a distinctly 
higher character value, because the fear is not a purely individual and , 



109. 

selfish one. It looks on to the v/elfare of v/ife, children and society. 
These issues therefore have a distinct moral significance in that they 
call out aversion to selfish, tmfair, dishonorable acts as these bear 
upon those persons v-e are under obligation to protect. These problems 
are of most educational value during later adolescence and after, as social 
sense, emotions and ideals of young people are being gained and per- 
fected. 

Some All education v.-hich seeks to mold character, choice and 
special conduct presents as v;e have seen certain special teaching 
teaching difficulties, as compared v/ith mere giving of information* 
problems The puzzling elements are probably more numerous in 
in sex respect to sex than in any other phase of character educa- 
education . tion, because of the mental complexes v;hich all mature people 

. have on the subject; and these false ideas and reticence 

of adults very soon imriart themselves to the younger genera- 
tion, these, ho\?evor, are usually reticent only toward their elders. 
Their curiosity about sex is actually heightened, and they are given an un- 
fair and very unvholesome sense of vulgarity and of seore joke about the 
'vhole problem, v/hich they are very free to share in their ov;n and in younger 
circles. This continuous stream of salacious sex education is infinitely 
more effectively and pedagcgically managed than that which mature society 
fosters. Some of the problems -.vhich '"e as parents and teachers must solve 
before we can compete hopefully v/ith this partial and vulgar but effective 
sex education of youth by youth are these :- 

1. The problem of fit teachers, and of fitting them to the 
work \7isely. 

2. The problem of variation in different children, and of 
grading the teaching to their needs. 

3. The 'Vise and effective emphasis on the various factors in 
sex education and on' the development of the essential elements in charaster 

The problem The term "teacher", as used here, means any mature person 
of the who undertakes to do what should be done for young people in 
teacher. this matter of sex guidance, - parent, relative, school 

teacher, social -v/orker, or religious leader, Ignorance of the 

subject or of the nature of the child, embarrassment, sexual 
complexes arising out of unfortunate personal sex experiences or from too 
much emphasis on the abnormal aspects of sex, lack of sympathy with the 
needs of children, or dogmatic and overbearing attitude toward the problem, 
make any person unfit to lead young people to normal and v/holesome sex 
attitude and conduct. The majority of parents and teachers at the present 
time is perhaps unfit on most of these counts. Nevertheless almost any 
person of average intelligence, with normal experiences, v/ith common sense, 
and vath a genuine zest and sympathy for the welfare of children, can 
readily fit himself to be of wonderful help at least to the children who are 
nearest him in life. The thoughtful reading of any book v/hich deals with 
the biology, psychology, ethics, esthetics and aorals of sex from a modern 
and constructive, r:,ther than from an abnormal or pathological point of 
view, v/ill give a helpful introduction, r.ore intensive reading in various 
directions will at once be suggested by such a book; - Nature study, embryo- 
logy* physiology, psychology,- particularly of the emotions,- anthropology 
and sccilogy, elements of sexual ethics, and the principles of education 



110. 

including moral education. Every teacher ought to read some restrained 
and balanced statement of psycho-analysis as aioplied to sex with the 
understanding that it has raide a real contribution to our understanding 
of motives and of the place of sex in life, and also that it claims 
much more than the older schools of. psychology think T7arranted by the 
facts, ^is book gives a selected list of references, all of which 
have very distinct merit for just this self -preparation. 

Furthermore, actual and gradual practice in helping young 
people under the most favorable circvunstances will help an intelligent 
person to find his o?m difficulties and thus to prepare himself more 
exactly. The preparation to meet the ne^ds of some child singly, v/hile 
it will not fit one to teach all children, nevertheless points the way 
to the general preparation. 

The problem There is no other phase of education in \7hich accuracy 
of grading and timeliness are so important as in character education, 
sex in which the emotions always play so large a part. There 
education. is no other aspect of character education in which appro- 

priateness and timeliness are so of the very essence of 

success, Ivlany adult people, who have wanted to do the 
best thing for their children, have waited until puberty and then in a 
few conversations have told the outline facts of the story. Several 
later chapters in Part III are given to suggestions about grading the 
materials and object and manner of sex Education. All that is necessary 
here is to mo.ke clear the nature and importance of this teaching problem, 

Somfe of the variable elements in respect to the child that 
make the teacher's task difficult and uncertain at any given moment are 
as follows: the general state of development of the child, the inner 
sex development, the general experience and sophistication, the special 
sex sophistication, the inherited and acquired disposition, the charac- 
ter and amount and time of earlier sex teaching. Concretely, the 
educational needs of a somewhat stupid self-assertive boy of 14 who is 
precocious in sex development and has had all the training of the 
street, with na early constructive aid in understanding the situation, 
are very different from those of a child of 12 with bright and social 
intellectual and emotional quality, and v/ith no extreme sex character- 
istics and experience, who from the beginning has been franlciy and 
intimately, though gradually, brought to understand certain of the 
elementary facts about personal and home life and has not met the 
vulgarities and misunderstandings of the street. 

Probably there is nothing so difficult about sex educa- 
tion as just this: To determine how to adjust properly the teaching and 
training to the exact state of need of the individual child so that the 
best possible results in character may come from the instruction . 

The problem It has often been ^hown that sex education and character 
of emphasis education is very much more than a matter of giving 
on the facts and information. V/hile it is entirely impossible 
factors in to estimate the relative influence of the elements by 
education. which character is moulded, it may be worth while to 

, suggest how these elements contribute to character, - 

meaning by character right attitudes, ability and habit 
of right action, and pleasure in right action. Roughly we may say that 
sex education contributes to character by imparting necessary informa - 
tipn , by interpreting soundly these facts , and by furnishing inspiration 
f motivation) for conduct . 



111. 

Functions It is questionable whether taiowledge, as such, directly 

of affects action. It probably operates to change the balance 

kncvle-'ge . betv,'een the various desires and wishes. Nevertheless accurate 

and adequate knowledge in respect to sex and its influences 

on life, as about other things, does make for sound conduct. 
The \7ork of information about sex is, among other things; ■ 

1. To replace partial, repressed, comic, and cynical ideas 
about sex v/ith satisfying, open, serious conceptions which arouse healthy 
interest, wonder and admiration. It educates taste and preferences. 

2. V/e give the basis and the means of avoiding the lanhygienic 
and hurtful in personal and social sex relations. Presupposes a desire for 
comfort and happiness. 

3. To connect in consciousness sex and reproduction with all 
the intellectual, emotional, esthetic and ethical notions and standards which 
we prize. All such bonds are capable of conditioning behavior. 

4. To furnish a basis for a sane and rational plan and p 
philosophy of personal sex conduct before and during marriage. This assumes 
the desire and anticipation of happiness in marriage. 

5. To make clear the connection between the facts of sex and 
the progress in evolution of a hum.me society. This assumes and contri- 
butes to a social feeling or sympathy. 

The Interpretation adds to mere information the comparison of 
functions facts v/ith values,- bringing them into relation, estimating 
of inter - their relative xvorth, and in general imparting emotional 
pretation . values and desirability to facts, on the basis of the greater 
experience of the teacher and the race. The ultra indivi- 
dualist on the one hand and the extreme impersonal scientist 
on the other are disposed to deny to scientific teaching the right of 
interpretation. The view of the writer is that both these attitudes, while 
right in condemning the dogmatic impositio n of the interpretations of any 
one upon any other, when expressed in this extreme form do and vlll con- 
tinue to do a distinct disservice to life and progress. Inexp erience canno t 
make a wise use even of facts unaided . The function of such interpretation 
of the facts of sex for young people is: 

1. To arouse a ipreciation of the value which sex development 
and sex conduct have to the individual, to the family, and to society, 

2. To develop a sense of proportion and balance between the 
different sex urges, expressions, and satisfactions. 

3. Through this appreciation and perspective to secure sound 
and effective tastes, prejudices, and attitudes. 

4. To enable the later evolved and less selfish and insistent 
social esthetic, spiritual and moral emphasis of sex to have its day in 
court, early in individual life, somewhat ahead of the normal time at 
which these would operate if left alone. 



r 



112. 

5. Thus to displace, by a kind of emotional prophylaxis, 
shoddy interpretations and cheap and impermanent values ly emphasis upon 
those v/hich are both more pernanent and more social and vorthy, humanely 
speaking* 

The Inspiration is essentially a tranfer of emotional elements 

function directly from one to another. It is propaganda, and has 
of in- the merits and the v/ealcnesses of propaganda. It may he 
spiration. associated v/ith and dominated by knowledge and an inter- 

pretation of facts based rigidly on experience, in v/hich 

case it is A?holly admirable. Or it may be, as propaganda of 
an unworthy sort always is, free from fact or perversely connected with 
half truth, in order to get emotional results v/hich are consequently false 
to reality. Inspiration as a legitimate part of education is ill^istrated 
by the influence of the master of science upon his pupil, generated not by 
the facts he discovers but by the spirit of his devotion to his work. It is 
shown in the increase of devotion to any fine and backward cause from the 
flame of the older devotees.- G'he role of inspiration in our conscious edu- 
cation of children by way of their sex is:- 

1. To fuse knowledge with the heat of desire and emotion, 
and thus make facts furnish the substance of motives and morale. 

2. To convert ideas into ideals. 

3. To seize our standards of beauty, truth, right, and 
goodness and to focvis these, instead of our crass desires, on individual 
purpose and behavior . 

4. To capitalize the power of fine example and the impulses 
of admiration and imitation. 



113. 

Chapter 2, 
!I!h.e spirits Besonrcca aiid Mariner of Sex Education . 

General Possibly one might think that the reticence of adults ahout 

interest of sex in the presence of their children is due to indifference, 

adults in But this is not true. 2herc are very few par-ents^ hovvever 

the problem. uncontrolled ond gross theinsclvcs, who do not v;ant their 

children to have a sound and wholesome sex lj,fc. Even those 
who are hostile to direct sex education are so through fecr 

that it cannot be done in such a xvay as to help the child 
rather thaai from laclc of interest in his sexiial v;elfaJ'e« 

Ignorance, uncertainty, sense of umvor thine ss and unfitness, 
actual belief that more knowledge can bring only more unwholesome "behavior arc 
all hindrances to sex educationi but indifference is rare, fhis itself is re« 
assuring, for the interest of parents in the sex problem does not arise out of 
a desire to dominate and crush tlie sex instincts in their children« It comes 
rr.ther from a convj.ction of the importance of these instincts in making or 
destroying life and happiness, end a desire to help their young people matoe, the 
most of life, 

fbB inter- Observers of childhood agree furthermore that few subjects 

est of the are so full of interest to m.ost children* Shis curiosity of 

Immature. children about sex is, to be suroy mcxic unhealthy by our 

- secretivencss end evasion; but it is inportont to rea^lizeithat 

there is nothing natively unwholesome cither in sex itself 
or in the child's curiosity about it. We have seen in former pages why this 
interest is certain to be precocious, in the sense that curiosity and under- 
standing normally come faster than the personal sex development of tlie child. 
Sex is developing within th child, the home end tlic social life outside are full 
of it, tliere are continually more or less veiled allusions to various aspects 
of sex by adults, and there are numerous exciting references and whispered re- 
velations by older children and servants* All of this means that a childj 
naturally curious about the unknown vvtirld around it, v/ill be peculiarly so about 
OCX, if he is at all normal. 

The meet- The meeting of these tvjo interests, - the solicitous 2nd 

ing of esperienced (though untrained) interest of the adults ?nd the 

these eager and inquiring interest of the young, maizes sex education 

interests, possible and inevitable* We cannot possibly escape giving yoang 

people a "sex education*" We do have the chcnce however to 

determine how this education shall come and when, 5.n what 
spirit and in what connections it shall be given, by vihom the impressions shall 
be made, and in large degree v/hat effect the whole matter shall have upon the 
inner character and nature of the developing child*. Vi/e cannot control all this; 
but we cannot prevent some sort of sex education. 

How the She reader will bear in mind that we are not meaning by "sex" 

child con merely the vi:ilgar and perverse aspects of sex, but rather the 

learn of sex great building value of sex for all normal and fine human life; 

vnd. that by "education" we do not mean primarily information, 

but much irjore the betterment of desires, ideals, conduct end 
character* Sex education includes then all that ive can do by way of inforiaation, 
interpretation, inspiration, influence, and training to give the young people the 



114. 

beat possible control^ imi)rovement, ancl use of their sex nature. This 
learning on the part of the child may be unconscious or conscious, and 
the training may be either indirect or direct. Under the most '•favor- 
able circvunstances much, probably most of it and the best of it, v/ill be 
indirect and V7ill be unconscious so far as the child is concerned. The 
parents and teachers, hor/ever, must be continually conscious of the fact 
that the every day home life and the practical relations of the members 
of the family to one another; the association<? of the boys and girls on 
the street and at school; the attitudes of teaahers toward normal sex 
life; the social behavior of older people; the poetry, stories, pictures, 
movies and the like which the child enjoys; the study of nature in the 
country or in the schools, - are all indirectly and gradually supplementing 
his ovm, sex development in building up a v/holesome or unwholesome atti- 
tude toward sex,- as well as tovrard other elements that enter into 
character, 

I It is not the purpose of those who advocate sex education to 

.displace this unconscious education by direct ar.d conscious education. 
It is rather so to understand and appreciate the work of the various 
elements which enter into the unconscious education that every person 
shall give his best to it, and that a fev/ direct and suitable words of 
interpretation here and there from the very beginning may insure to the 
child the full value of the daily developments in his life and relations, 
Without this he cannot possibly understand their meaning to him; and he 
may most grievously and grossly misunderstand them. 

This com- Such a natural and complete welding of living and the inter* 
bination pretation of living for the benefit of the young is not so 
calls for easy as merely giving certaiin facts about sex and life, 
v/hat? It calls, in the first place, for wholesome and intelligent 

fathers and mothers and home life. These relations cannot 

be sensuous or capricious or domineering or unl*ving and 
selfish, and yet serve as a basis for sound sex development and education 
of the children. No amount of teaching of the facts of sex, nor of pious 
interpretations and exhortations based on these, can possibly have much 
value for children unless they find the laboratory of devoted and intelli* 
gent sex life in their ovu homes, All such full education of the sex 
attitudes of children calls therefore fer a sincere and wise home life 
coupled with a most intelligent, appropriate and direct use of the vital 
occasions in the inner development of the child and in his outer relations 
to make him understand and prize all of it at its full value. 

VThat are "Kie purpose of sex education, as of all character education, 
the educable is to secure under the various circumstances of life choices 
elements of and conduct that are sound, by the proper development of 
character the inner elements of personality which determine choice 
which bear and conduct. All this implies that it is not the mere 
upon sex? external circumstances or compulsion which determine de- 

cisions and behavior; but that there are internal qualities 

and states which are partly inherited, and even more which 
arise from experience, that determine what we shall do. It implies 
furthermore that these personal states can be altered or educated ; as a 
matter of fact they are the most variable, which means most educable 
qualities we have. The sum of these qualities or tendencies or states 
makes up the character of the individual. It is needless to say that two 
individuals are never exactly alike in these character combinations, any 



115, 

more than in "bodily featxires. And yet, just as in physical characteristics 
these mental qualities cora'bine and range about a reco,;nizahle» normal 
human average, Just as any reasona'aly healthy "body can by training be 
brought tn function in an average or standard way, so a personality v,'ith 
reasonable intellectual and emotional endovmients can be brought by 
suitable training into a standard balance of character. 

Some of these inner states and functions which combine to 
form o;ir personal "character" are:- 

1) Our inherited, physical mechanism with its functions , 
native tendencies and impulses , {"instincts"), 

2) Our habits , of feeling, thinking and acting^ which are 
built upon these through experience and the satisfactions v.;hich accompany 
experiences. 

3) Our satisfactions . tastes , likes and aversions and pre - 
judices which grow up out of our natural tendencies and our experience. 
These emotional elements become fixed, and partake of the nature of 
habits . They are the foundation of interest and motives . 

4) Our ideas and I cnowledge . These intellectual functions 

of our mind are the most remarkable and distinctive of the human qualities. 
They mean that ^'e can separate, so to speak, the idea from a sensation . 
and can oeuipare, discriminate and classify the true ideas or "facts" 
themselves. This involves the functions of thinking and reasoning and 
judging, ripparently these functions may be wholly divorced from behavior, 
although on the other hand they may be used indirectly, if not directly, 
to g-iide choice and conduct by balancing desires, 

5) Our s tandard s . whi ch represent that part of our iaiowledge 
that we have really adopted and assimilated as worthy of a place in our 
general scheme of life and theory of conduct. 

6) Our ideals, representing desire ci^. devotion added to 
standards . As tastes are a kind of emotionalized habit so ideas are 
emotionalized standards. 

7) Our a ttitudes and purposes , which grow out of experience 
and are a kind of h abit of outlook on the part of the individual. This 
outlook when directed tov/ard the external stimu.li and appeals which come 
to one may take .the form of onenness and apprecia^'lon or the reverse; 
when directed toward ones mental ■ states it may mark sa tisf acti on''or dis- 
satisfaction . apT3ro val or disapproval . hopeful ness or despaj r ; w?ien 
directed ahead toward choice and behavior it may involve determination or 
uncertainty , conformity or unconformity . 

■ 8) Our conduct or bahavior, which is the result in action of 
the combination of internal impulses, external stimuli and the various 
developed mental states and habits suggested, above. Beliavior is the only- 
external measure we have of that combination of qualities, in others, v/hich 
we have called character. Conduct and behavior, while the outcbne of 
character, is no less a means of fu rther educating th e se qua lities that , 
make character . Character determines conduct and in turn conduce molds 
character, It is an educational cycle. 



116. 

The over- There is no desire to create the impression that these 

lapping of various personal qualities i.rc entirely distinct from 

these one another or can be isolated. They overlap and inter- 

raental grade in the most intricate way. For cxanplc, habit is 

functions. not something apart. All our tastes, thinking, memory, 

. attitudes and behavior tend to become hp.bitual; nnd no 

one can separate satisfaction from the native instinctive 

tendencies. All those and other elements are involved in personality, 

and they act as a complex and not in installments. 

Nevertheless, each of these groups of terms does stand for 
a somewhat definite phase or aspect of our complex life of personal 
feeling and reaction to stimulation; and they are used here so near to 
their common meanings that fcv^ people will fail to see how they bear upon 
character and conduct. These phases of mental life, which has apparently 
become more definite and distinct in man than in the other animals, are 
not imaginary; and, being for the most part the product of experience and 
education in each of, us, arc capable of a much more definite and exact 
training than we have yet learned to give them. We cannot fix any limit 
to the degree to v/hich they may be cultivated. But v;c cannot suitably train 
thorn in mass, unless as teachers we are conscious of these various shades 
of feeling, thought and motive and seek to check up our training by 
watching for particular results in these different fields. 

The reader may recall that it was stated in an earlier 
chapter that one could be said to be trained with respect to any situation 
when he kncx? the right thing to do, desired to do the right thing, had the 
habit of doing that right thing and got satisfaction out of having done 
it. Comparison will show that this expression includes most of the 
mental states outlined above. 

How to It will now be quite apparent to most readers why we have 
educate been insisting all along that sex education is not primarily 
these a matter of information or knmvlodge. It is even more a 
different matter of training the tastes, desires, emotions, habits, 
character : and attitudes. Most people will also agree that it is 
elemonts, more difficult to secure right desires than it is to give 
facts; is more diffidult to improve the te-stes and satis- 
factions than it is to convince judgment. It is more 
difficult to change inherited tendencies than to change acquired habits. 
Vi/hilo all these various factors back of character can bo modified and 
educated, it xvill thus be seen that they must be approached in some^vhat 
different ways and with differing degrees of enphasis. 

To imodify With many people it is enough to say that a quality is 
the natural "natural '.' They think that is the end of it, and that 
{instinct^ we should not undertake or expect to change what ie 
ive) natural. Indeed people often go so far as to say "we 
tendencies, can't change human nature". Of course, there are limits 

.; to the changes we can work in the inherited nature of an 

organism in the life time of an individual without doing 
it violence. Nevertheless, in physiology we have learned that a child 
which has inherited quite naturally an undergrown thyroid gland and ie 
thus destined to idiocy and cretinism, may be given a normal developrcent 



117. 

Of mind and body by being doeed with ejctract of thyroid taken from 
other animals. The natioral impulse of a newly born child to suck 
when something is placed in its mouth is inherited, and the sucking 
reflexes are already set up and tuhed for operation at birth. This 
very fundamental and necessary reflex and impulse can be greatly 
modified and even broken up, in early life, by placing nauseating and 
unpleasant substance on the tongue. Infants have been knovm to V7ean 
themselves as the result of the fact that their mother's milk dis- 
agreed with them. Native tendencies of all sorts connected with eating, 
crying, bcdily motions, and disposition can be strengthened or weakened 
as comfor"!: and discomfort, pleasure and pain are associated with them. 

There is no reason whatever to assume that the inherited 
sex teia:dencies and impulses are different in this respect from any 
others. All that we know of them assures us that they can be modified 
and guided by the individual himself, and that aid can be given by the 
general surroundings and by specific influence on the part of those in 
whom he has confidence. 

The Probably the most basic fact in all education is - that 

formation an act of any kind, if allowed by pleasure, is more likely 
of habits. to be repeated when the circumstances are renewed. Such 

repetition produces definite changes in the substance and 

in the functions of practically all living things. These 
changes become greater and more permanent with every pleasant repetition 
and makes it more sure that the pleasure-giving act v;ill be repeated. 
The result thus acquired in the life of an individual is called a habit . 
Habit is a sort of organic memory; and, when once begun, tends to 
standardize its possessor. It will be seen xhat comfort and pleasure 
(satisfaction) in the thing done is an essential part of habit formation. 
If more pain than pleasure r-ere always associated with a given action, 
a person would tend to avoid rather than repeat the action, and would 
thus break up a habit already formed and even build up a habit of an 
opposite or controlling kind. It is very evident in the field of sex, 
as elsewhere, both that a habit once formed tends to perpetuate itselt 
and that either sound or unsound habits may be started at the outset, 
if V7e only find effective ways to associate pleasure and happiness in 
the mind of the child with the habit which we wish to fix. It is im- 
portant to remember that the element of habit associates with all the 
child's mental as well as its muscular activities. Habit relates not 
merely to conduct. The child may form halits of feeling, of thinking, 
of dreaming, of longing, of imagining, of talking, of enjoying, v/hich 
are just as saturated with sex as any active behavior could be. If 
sound sex habits in all these respects are to be secured, it is clear 
that parents must devise ways to give real pleasure and satisfaction to 
the child from its earliest life in right laelings and thoughts and 
longings rather than in those which mislead. We carmot ignore habit- 
formation in sex until the boy or girl is o.ld enough to enter consciously 
upon unsocial sex practices. We must guido the mental and emotional 
habits from the very beginning. 

Education As has been intimated, tastei; are ap aspect of habit 
of tastes, formation. A taste is an aceiuired tendency and form of 
likes and liking or aversion, v;hioh hat become habitual through ' 
dislikes, the satisfaction it has given in individual experience, 
satisfac- We are all familiar witint the way in v.'hich such pre- 
tion, etc, dilections are built up and strengthened in respect to 
foods, to amusements, tO friendships, music, to books, or 



118. 

tov7ard esthetic and ethical and moral situations or conceptions. These 
are acquired feeling-habits of the greatest possible moment in controlling 
choice and behavior. They practically determine our actions ahead of the 
occasions. Our political tendencies, our religious inclinations, our 
patriotism, \7here gained unconsciously in oui" homes, are illustrations of 
these prejudices. Mnjst of us are ar/are too hov; tastes once formed may 
be changed; hov; likes may pass even by a sudden leap to aversions. For 
example, many of us have had the experience of a strong prejudice for some 
particular kind of food, leading us into overindulgence in it,- the result 
of this being a siclmess leading possibly to a permanent distaste for the 
food in question. These emotional states, v/hile partaking of the nature 
of habits are notably instable; much more so than muscular habits. 

Probably there is no point in our human interests v;here 
tastes and their satisfac'tions play a larger role than in respect to sex. 
There is little doubt that a more difference in education, in emphasis 
during youth v/ould be quite sufficient to give a normal boy a taste or 
. prejudice in favor of the fine and upbuilding and wholesome aspects of 
sex individually and socially, on toward the comic and vulgar and gross 
and sensual. Sex is almost sure to give hunan beings enjoyment and 
pleasure. It is often a matter of taste implanted in early life, rather 
than a matter either of reason or of morals, v/hich determines whether the 
satisfaction in sex shall come from chivalry and consideration or from 
exploitation and vulgar indulgence. Tastes are educated and made permanent 
by temperate and always satisfying use and practice of a tendency y' sati s- 
faction is essential to all habit-formation); by strict avoidance of 
surfeit; by associating ones ovm practises with the standards and examples ^ 
of those v/hom one loves and admires; by large use of the esthetic appeal, 
as illustrated by convincing literature, art and the like, by which com- 
bined intellectual and emotional appreciations of whc^t is appropriate, 
beautiful, good md true may be built up. In educating tastes it is not 
enough to get the positive phase. There should be developed equally 
aversion, disgust and indignation in thu presence of the vulgar, dishonoring, 
ugly and inhuman. 

Educating while some doubt that knov. ledge of the facts of sex \7ill 
in respect make for the improvement either of character or conduct, 
to knov7- few will question that normal human beings can be trained 
ledge, or educated in respect to their powers and functions of 
reason, and knowing and thinking. Indeed, to many people education 
judgment. means this and little more. Space will not be taken here 

to discuss the best method of imparting knowledge and of 

building up sound and reliable rational powers. This is the 
well-known field of our general education; and v/e have, in the methods of 
science, at least begun to understand how to do this. To apply this to 
sex is not different from the application to agriculture or to sociology. 
It is perhaps worth while, however, to mention that the only practical way 
to learn reason and judgment is by the pract ise of reasonin g and judging, 
and then testing out the truth of on es c onclusions by t he after-events . 
One can of course get knowledge from otht^rs; but one cannot be taught to 
reason by having the conclusions of others forced upon him, no matter how 
sound these conclusions are. This of course does not mean that one must 
himself have all the experiences in order that- his conclusions shall be 
his ov;n. One can observe the experiences of others and use these as the 
basis of his conclusions. High character in respect to sex, as in everything 
else, dOts not demand that one shall get all his own information from the 



119. 

laboratory of life. It does demand, hc-Gver, thit he shall be able and 
willing to get from every source all the information necessary, must not 
let his desires obscure or distort the facts, must strive to determine 
which are the most important factors in a situation, and tiien draw his 
conclusion and make his choices on the basis of all this. Having made 
his own decision, however, he v;ill not be dogmatic, but will still be 
open-minded for nev7 facts which might modify it. This method of seeking 
truth ie- known as the "scientific method". Ko other method is dependable. 
Just as soon as we take without evidence the conclusions of others, or 
fail to use all the facts ^vhich bear on the problem, or allow our present 
desires to color our decisions, or allow insignificant facts to weigh 
as much as the important ones, we depart from the only sound way of 
reaching judgment and make sure that our reasoning and decisions are 
unreliable if not untrtie. . 

There is no point in the practical life of human beings 
where the facts are more complex, where we need to sense the great and 
permanent facts as over against the less important and valuable, where the 
desires and present satisfactions are more likely to obscure the facts 
and thus to cloud reason and degrade choice, than in sex. Because of 
this it is peculiarly important that v;e older peiple should do everyibhing 
possible to get the facts before the young in the right way and at the 
right time, and should then help them get a sense of proportion which will 
enable them to use the facts wisely to guide themselves from the beginning 
not merely about sez but about everything else, and to love and to 
practice the scientific spirit and method in reaching their conclusions 
and in making their choices. 

The develop- One may Icnow much and be able to use facts expertly and to 
ment of judge accurately in individual cases, and still fail to 
standards. build these up into ar. inner code or scheme or standard of 

thinking and feeling or of living. Tastes as discussed 

above are a kind of esthetic and emotional standard. In- 
tellectual standards also are necessary to life, if we are to find our 
knowledge and reason of much guidance to us. Just as tastes furnish us 
with standards of beauty and satisfaction, so intellectual standards 
fix for us v-hat is true and right and workable. V/e can best help and 
even force young people to develop standards by refusing to decide for 
them, by encouraging them to form the habit of criticising their own 
choices and actions in the light of the after events instead of criti- 
cising them ourselves, by inducing them similarly to judge the v^isdora or 
justice of other peoples' decisions and actions, by refusing to shield 
them from the inconveniences of their own ^-'rong choices, and by judicious 
use (not over-use) of the successes of other people, preferably by way of 
biography. It has been shov.n that the mere preaching of abstract moral 
precepts is not of as high educational value in this connection as has 
been thought. 

V/holesome standards of sex life and relations can be devel- 
oped in children ahead of the actual need of them, if v/e only use methods 
which fit in ■•'ith the advancing state of development in the child. To 
do this we must not distress and mis educate by trying to impose directly 
upon it our own mature standards, so as to drive it into unv/holesome 
repressions or into secret or open rebellion. 



120. 

The ira- Little needs to be said about education of ideals in afdition 
provement to v.'hat has already been said under the headings of tastes 
of ideals. and desires on the one hand and of standards on the other, 

since ideals are really a fusir)n of the intellectual 

standards and "the feelin^^ standards. The ad^'itional thing 
which needs perhaps to be said is that thes'^ t-vo should be broue;ht to- 
gether and harmonized . Integrity of character or of life cannot be had, 
if it is left to a running fi^^ht betveen the- lesires and satisfactions, 
on the one hand, and imov/lelge and conscience on the other,- rith first 
one and then the other dominating behavior. The effort of teachers 
therefore, in addition to sound developncnt both of likes and dislikes and 
of standards, should be to develop their full anl harmonious interplay. 
The taste and the iesire and the satisfaction of sound and scientific 
judgment should be cultivated, as suggeste.l above; and no less the under- 
stanUng an>I judgrflent of the individxial should be applie-^ to his o^Tn 
tastes and prejudices as devotedly as to any other aspects of life. 

Sex education does not seek the suppression of either the 
great and vital desires and satisfactions and devotions of sex or of the 
dolder-conscious standards which discriminate and control sex impulses in 
the interest of other values. Either standing alone ^"oul'3 be very 
unbalanced, untrue to life, and unrholesoiTie . It seeks rather to fuse the 
t-vo points of vie\7 into a devoted conviction v;hich includes the feeling 
and judgment of beauty, truth, right, and vorth, ani '.7hich makes for the 
v/ise and satisfying use of sex and the progressive improvement of all 
human sex relations. This task of harnessing knowledge and rational 
standards with likes an.I desires without violating reason or crushing 
impulses requires a good deal of imagination: V/e must teach the child to 
see in imagination that the future, more permanent joy v/hich comes from 
denial may be rorth much more to him than the .nearer temporary one which 
comes from present indulgence; that the dissatisfaction of violating the 
beautiful and the good are just as real and more lasting than any pleasure 
in it; that sex cannot be enjoye^ at one level of life and not affect the 
r/orth of all the other levels; that the service and welfare of human 
society and of future generation are among the pernanent pleasures vhich 
flow from rational self control. 

The Again in dealing -Ith attitudes an-J p-orposes, we are not 

education discussing something nev-. These qualities or states grow 
of directlv out of all that has gone before, and in educating 

attitudes the qualities already mentioned, we have of course been 
and making the fo^ondation for attitudes, aims, purposes and 

purposes. choices. In these later mental states, however, character 

is less potential merely; it begins to be more dynamic. 

^7e can conceive a lion possessed of all the impulses and 
powers necessary to capture its prey; but when these qualities are 
asserting themselves and have brought the beast to alert attention to 
every sound, and every muscle is ready for immediate use in making the 
spring, we have a picture of "attitude" of a very positive and aggressive 
sort. The attitude after a complete meal is no less definite, though it 
is, to be sure, less positive. So in human mentsl states, attitude and 
purpose look very much more directly to participation, to reception of 
impressions, and to behavior than anything we have thus far studied. 



121. 

In forming personal attitudes then we are seeking to push 
desires, Imc^^leage, ideals, one step further toward accepting the 
incoming stimuli of life or tovard expressing oneself in conduct. One 
may have a keen attitude of attention and appreciation, or the reverse. 
One may have a definite purpose of action, or of the opposite action, 
or of inaction. Permanent attitudes of one kind or another can "be secured 
only by suitably rewarding the temporary attitudes V7hich bring the child 
into action from movement to movement, xls in other habits, it is the 
premium of satisfaction or dissatisfaction nhich makes the attitude of 
curiosity habitual, or ends it. Equally is this true in developing a 
permanent attitude of obedience, or teachableness, or unselfishness, or 
sullenness, or optimism, or self-indulgence, or prudishness, or chivalry, 
or disregard for beautv and honor. These states are much more than 
ideals . They are the translation of ideals, one further stage toward 
conduct. If in any way we can build up a situation in v/hich a child 
carries a temporary attitude of generosity into expression, we are failing 
as teachers if ne do not make the result so rewarding that the v/hole 
mental nature of the child will reinforce that attitude and ten! to make 
it permanent; make an easy road to repeat the fortunate action. 

In respect to sex, attitude is all-important. By the time 
it is 12 years old, any norm.al child can be trained to have an attitude 
of inordinate and vulgar curiosity, of coarse levity^ of rebellion 
against parental suggestions, of indulging the selfish desire of the 
moment, of ignoring future interests; or on the other hand of intelligent 
respect and wholesome interest, of chivalry for girls and ivomen, of 
controlling his actions in the interest of his own future and that of 
society,- all depending on the manner and quality of the rewards that 
have come to his temporary attitudes. liuch of our social education goes 
to v/aste because we do not follow the beginnings of impression and 
knowledge through until they are fixed in the attitude and TJurnoses of 
our children . 

Education So far as the organism is concerned behavior or conduct is 
and merely the outcome of combination of external stimuli or 
conduct, opportunities, and the internal tendencies, knowle.lge, 
__________ desires, ideals, attitudes and purposes v/hich are active at 

the time. Conduct cannot be something apart from these. 
It is just the end-product of external states, acting upon internal ones. 
It is therefore a sign of the internal organisation of character. If, 
for example, a boy takes a piece of watermelon and eats it with every 
evidence of relish and asks for more, v/e can Uiake one group of deductions. 
If on the other hand, he turns away from it, and if when it is fed to him 
he gets rid of it with signs of aversion and nausea, we reach wholly 
different conclusions about his internal states ani experience. If we 
would guide action and still have it spontaneous an.l from within, we must 
exert influence upon those factors which cause the action rather than 
upon the action itself. 

From another point of view, conduct, follov;ed as it usually 
is by some degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction, is one of the most 
powerful vmnns we have of working back into the feelings and motives and 
attitudes which produce conduct and of influencing them either for the 
moment or permanently. The results of conduct, in the form of pleasure 

or the reverse, are the most convincing evidences an individual can have 
that his conduct and the mental states leading to it were suitable. V/hile 
therefore we cannot educate behavior very well directly, v;e can influence 



122. 

it for better or worse by training the mental states discussed in this 
chapter; and on the other hand v;e can use behavior itself as the means 
of fizing and developing those mental states that lead to conducti 
That is» we can stimulate and reward conduct and thus indirectly use it 
to make permanent or to change the internal states. 

In general, we can guide the conduct of the young in three 
w^8, 1) by changing the material surroundings which stimulate asd incite 
them to action; 2) by developing inner mental states which will condition 
and change the original response, even when the surroundings are the same; 
and 3) by forcibly preventing or compelling action of a prescribed sort 
without respect to the child's inner standards and desires and attitudes. 
The value of the first method is only that v/e may give ourselves aJbetter 
chance to use the second ^ which is the real method of progressive education 
of character. The third method has no, or next to no, satisfactory edu- 
cational or habit-forming value. 

In sex e.iucatipn theh v/e are seeking not to dominate the 
child's conduct by ovefwhelraing force, either of aphysical or a moral 
sort. Rather by rational, emotional and esthetic appeals and satisfying 
premiums for suitable individual actions, we try to develop those inner 
motives and other elements of character which will normally produce 
habitual condtiat of the sort which is sound and satisfying from the haman 
and social point of view. There is every evidence that we can, in 
reasonably normal cases, guide sex conduct by education and make suitable 
or unsuitable ssx behavior habitual. 

Inter- It will aid in summing up the matter in the last few pages 
relation to notice the interactions v/hich such essential character 
of elements as standards, ideals and attitudes on the one hand 

character and conduct on the other have upon one another. Because 
and conduct powerfully molds the inner elements of character 

conduct. and character in turn tends to produce conduct which 

accords with it there is a kind of automatic harmony 

between the two. If either can be influenced for the 
better a "benevolent circle" is established which means much for right 
ecii*i-a.tion. On the other han'i, if either becomes degraded a "vicious 
cirle" is established. It is not enough then to let matters take their 
course or to give heed only to conduct or to inner traits. To get best 
results we must mold character directly by instruction and indirectly 
by guiding behavior. 

The general Because personality or character is so complex and because 
spirit of the sex impulses and sex behavior so profoundly influence 
character all of these elements; and because we want to get the 
education final guidance of the sex life v/ithin the individual 
as it rather than from the outside , it is necessary that sex 
applies education should not be one-sided and partial, or in any 
to sex, way arouse the antagonism of the child. Its spirit should 
include the following, among other, features :- 

1. Sex education must not be dogmatic and repressive, but 
should be sympathetic and understanding. It should be democratic and fair. 
It must respect and appeal to the quality of the child's personal nature 
and sex impulses, and must be satisfying and rewarding to the child. 
There is no point in education where these truisms are more important. 



123. 

2. On the other hand sex education must not rest upon the 
purely individual and self -considering attitudes. It must appeal to and 
make full use of the social and altruistic elements in the child's 
nature, xxfter all, the social impulses and the ethical elements that are 
related to these are just as basic and as natural as the more personal 
motives. The sex and reproduction nature is even more vitally connected 
vrith these social than v;ith the purely personal impulses. Sound 
ecuation must take advantage of this fact. 

3. Sex education must respect the curiosity, the intellectual 
functions and the rational pov/ers of the child, and must use therefore all 
suitable facts and relations v;hich will bring the discriminative abilities 
into play. These facts, and the intellectual processes connected with 
them, are not enough, standing alone, to form character or to control 
conduct; but they couple with the esthetic, ethical and emotional elements 
most convincingly. 

4. Sex education, an^' the same is true of all character 
education, is peculiarly an enterprise of training and conditioning the 
esthetic and emotional elements, '''e must erect in every child a sense 
of v/hat is appropriate, beautiful, likable, satisfying, desirable, and 
good. It is not enough to knov; what is real and true. For this reason 
character formation and life itself are something of an artistic under- 
taking and call for some of the esthetic sense of the poet and artist as 
well as the spirit of the scientist on the part of the teacher. The 
sense of proportion ani balance is as much an artistic endowment when 
applied to conduct and to personal traits as when used to model a statue. 
There is a sense in which the esthetic is at the heart both of reason and 
morals. 

The sig- Most realms of human knowledge throw some light on the 
nificant problems of character education in relation to sex. All 
kno^-'ledge character bears upon sex character, and is in turn in- 
under- fluenced by sex. The reacher then, who would use human 
lying sex knowledge most effectively to get those emotional, 
education. intellectual, and behavior elements that constitute 

character in sex, must get material from, many fields. 

This book undertakes only to hint at the sources and to 
give a collection of elementary facts drav/n from them. The follovdng 
are the outstanding sources:- 

1. j:7aturt: stud.v and biology . Here we get the kno\7ledge 
of the conditions of reproduction an-l sex and the way in which these 
have leveloped and have influenced the life and success and relations 
of plants ani animals at every step. V.'itliOut this we cannot have the 
perspective which is necessary to a scientific understanding of sex in 
human life. 

2. Embryology . This is the account of the origin and 
development of the individual, and shows us how our mature organs and 
powers and lualities have come to be. This is peculiarly revealing 

in respect to the meaning of sex and reproduction as factors in personal 
development. 



124:. 

3. Physiolog y. 'This is a discussion of all the mature 
bodily functions and activities as these operate in a healthy or un- 
healthy condition. It shows hov; the sex and reproductive processes go 
on, and hov/ they influence and are influenced by the other bodily 
activities. 

4. Psychology , , sexual and educational . Psychology deals 
with the human mental processes and states. The psychology of sex 
undertakes to study hov; the aind of hurra n beings is modified and 
influenced by the functions of reproduction and sex; hor; our v/hole 
intellectual and emotional and behavior life is colored by the fact of 
sex; hov; our relations are affected thereby. 

. Educational psychology deals with our mental nature froa the 
point of vievr of its growth and development. It seeks to find light as 
to the best method of using what has been discovered in training the 
mental life of individuals, V7e greatly neec^ to laiov/ more of the 
educational psychology of sex. 

5. Sex hygiene . In this field v;e discuss the healthy con- 
dition of the sex and reproductive organs and functions, and seek to lay 
dovm such rulsa. for living as v;ill preserve or restore sexual health, - 
whether of body or mind. It is the application of v/hatever we may knov; 
to make individual sex conditions normal. 

6. Anthropology . This is the study of the course of the 
hu."ian race upon the earth. In proportion as we knov; this we have light 
on the origin and nature of the various sex-social customs, relations, 
institutions v/hich we now find in society. Here, from the point of 
view of sex and reproduction, v^'e learn hov; relations of mates, courtship, 
marriage, parental care of children, home an'l family life in all their 
various grades, have originated and developed into what v;e have today. 
This is a very fruitful fieli to throw light upon the next. 

7. Sociology an -1 social , psych olo^?y. This is of course 
merely present time anthropology. It utidertakes the study of our present 
social institutions, hov these influence life, and how our biological and 
psychological qualities in turn influence the social conditions. It is 
very apparent that the social psychologist is the person who must 
ultimately help to solve the problems of sex relationship in order to 
make them most successful and wholesome for the race. 

8. Sexual eth i cs, e sthetics, and mo rals. It is not easy 
to classify or name the field v;hich deals with what we usually name the 
beautiful, the true, the good, and the right. That many of the finest 
conclusions of the human .and lie in this field there can be no doubt. 
Some v;ould say that all these ideas are included in psycholo^^, sociology, - 
or even in biology. The name makes no great difference. The ideas are 
closely connecte.l and are tremendously important in relation to sex, both 
in its personal and its social bearings. It is in this fieli that omt 
sense of beauty and appropriateness, our sense of duty and obligation, 

our conscience, our philosophy of life operate. S u r;irai ng a. 11 of th ese 
into one idea pretty nearly makes what ve call rel ig'ion. No one con- 
cerne 5 v/ith se:c-character eaucation can afford to ignore these splendidly 
educative haman elements, hov/ever he may name them. 



125. 

Method in It ought to be quite clear that no haphazard dumping of 
sex. sex information and general exhortations on the child, 
education, either all at once or in steps through the years, vJill 

ser-^e the purpose of character building. On the 

contrary, it requires the most delicate adjustment of 
suitable means to well planned ends. Hence teachers must make up their 
■minds in some detail just what, in the character of the child, they 
wish to secure at different stages of his development; V7hat featiires 
and episodes of his ov;n sex life v/ill furnish the occasion for accom- 
plishing the desired results; what particular* method of approach in 
each case will probably be most effective in gaining the child's 
cordial support; and how they can measure their success and correct 
their failures in carrying out their plans. 

The "^Q- The raaining chapters of this boo]£ are given over to an 
ject me thod " effort to put in detailed and practical form this problem 
in educa- of using sex as a means of building human character and 

human society. The so-called "project" method of 

teaching has a value here. Sroadly this metho'. implies two 
or three things: 1) the planning of definite results, in loiowledge or 
emotions or skill, to be had at certain stages; 2) the selection of 
certain situations or projects which raay best be made the maans of 
V7inning the interest and enthusiasm of the youth in the gaining of these 
results; 3) using this interest and each project to the very fullest 
possible degree and in the most scientific and sympathetic tray to get 
good and only good results in the xvhole of character. 

Application It is easily apparent how much more this is than imparting 
to sex infornatio&I It means that ve r^ill aralyze the child's 
education, life and fini what are the critical points of its inner 

sex development, an:", when these come we shall watch its 

intellectual development and try as teachers to see that 
the new knowledge it gets from day to day in school and elsewhere shall 
make its right contribution to these sex and character results we have 
in mind; we shall observe its home and social relations and discover 
how these are influencing sex development and sex consciousness and 
give to these the best interpretation and guidance which they will bear. 
In all of this there is an effort to get away 'both from the false and 
vulgar interpretations and premature incitements of sex, and from the 
artificial an 1 unreal teaching which singles out sex and emphasizes it 
l^y giving inforration which has no particular relation to the exact present 
ifiser needs and interests of the chil-. nor to the particular sur- 
roundings in which he finds himself. 

Summary of V/ithout argument, it may be valuable . to state some 

principles principles which apparently should control our efforts 

to be ob- to make the child's sex life minister to soun' character 

served in sex and its whole character minister to sound sex development 

education. and use. 



1. Sex instruction in the hone or elsewhere should not 
be isolated, outstanding or exaggerated. In the home it should be 
brought in naturally and incidentally to the various relations and 
occasions of family life. In schools it should fit perfectly naturally 



126. 

ijjto the sciences, arts and humnities, and into the social relations 
in v.'hich it naturally "belongs. Sex is overemphasized V7hen it is 
conspicuously and artificially avoided quite as much as when artificially 
introduce;^ , 

2. Sex education must for test results "be very exactly 
(traded , "^hat is to say both the matter and the method nust at all times 
be adjusted to the sex, the sexual development, the mental development, 
the sex lQio\?ledge and sophistication, the curiosity, to the sex needs 

of the child as determine^, by the character of its surroundings; and even 
to its momentary whiui and disposition, 

3. This means that m^ost direct sex education must be done 
by persons . Printed natter can be used effectively v/ith young people 
only as a supplementary sa-'nmarizing aiid emphasizing of r/hat has already 
been done by the persons best fitted to do the work. Literature is most 
valuable in indirect sex education, v/here the sex element is subordinate. 

4. It also .'leans that for best results, direct sex instruction 
should be individual rather than collective. No two individuals were ever 
identical in the various elements referred to under grading;. Such of the 
more general and indirect instruction, v;hic aids to develop tastes, mo- 
tives and attitudes, may well be in classes, 

5. The positive and constructive, rather than the negative 
and perverse aspects of personal and social sex life should be stressed. 

6. Nature study and biology and their implications are not 
enough. They are only an introduction. To make merely sexual aniivjals 
out of our children is exactly what we do not want. Me want to make them 
humane in respect to sex. The only way to do this is to interpret human 
sex to them as a supplement to their study of animal biology. 

7. The physical facts of sex in human beings and the social, 
ideal and esthetic implications connected vdth these should never be 
divorced. That is to say the facts and the human interpretations of them 
should always be presented to the child together. The facts standing 
alone urgently invite interpretations; and there is imminent danger that 
vicious and vulgar interpretations will be supplied if sound ones are 
withheld. Interpretations and attempts at inspiration, not base:"^ in 
accurate knoxvledge . are either unconvincing or lead to sentimentality v/hich 
is unwholesome and unreliable. 

8. The materials and the interpretations of sex must be 
repeated over and over, day after day, stage after stage, being continually 
readjusted and enlarged both to guard against the misapprehensions so 
common in children and to provide for the gradual growth of the standards 
of taste, satisfaction, ideals, attitude and purpose which alone can give 
stability of character in sex. The process is like that of giving food 
and exercise for bodily development. It cannot be made instantaneous. 

"e are seeking assimilation into character,- and not mere memory; much 
less spiritual indigestion. 



X27. 



Chapter 3. The Method and the Qrading of Sez Education . 



^e im- At various points in earlier chapters brief reference 

portance has heen roade to the fact that sex education is 

of method peculiarly difficult and delicate, and that a 

in sex corresponding amount of care nust therefore be given in 

education, order to insure good results. Sorae of the difficulty 

cones, as has "been su:;gestec:, fron our ovm ignorance, 

reticence and mistakos. Assuming, however, that v/e have 
overoorae our o\m hesitation and erabarrassnent and know xvell the 
general facts which v;e must use, it is still true that sez instruction 
is a delicate matter. On the other hand thousands of parents and 
teachers have shoTOi that all the difficulties may be met by a com- 
bination of love for young people, intelligence, and tact. The 
neeeasity for working out in detail ones aethod of doing this work lies 
in the facts discussed in PART II of this book. Sex animates so much 
of human life and enters into so much of our social relations; it is so 
full of desire and zest and satisfaction; it enters so corapletely into 
both our lower and higher emotions, and influences conduct so profoimdly 
that it can ne-^er be approached cold-bloodedly, as can the multiplication 
table or learning to read. It is delicate because a false attitude toward 
sex may mean the complete wrecking of character and life, and the cross- 
currents of the sex life are so numerous that we can never ue wholly sure 
what attitude may arise in any individual from, a given fact and its 
interpretation. Sex control calls upon intelligence, emotions , and 
behavior; and it always demands more skill to guide emotions and behavior 
than to educate intelligence. 

The As in all other subjects the educational methods to be used 
elements in sex training must respect, in the first place, the child 
entering and all his rights of personal development and happiness 
into satis- and all the native pov/ers by which he may reach this full 
factory realization of himself; secondly, they must recognize and 
method of use suitably and to the full all the critical stages in 
sex his personal development and in his social relations which 
education* give openings for exerting our influence; third, th^ must 

« ^ include all the imovm facts and phenomena of sex which 

can be used to increase intelligence to arouse motives and 
to refine and sublimate the satisfactions and attitudes, and finally, 
they must discriminate nicely among the persons and agencies which can 
best, at different times and with different individuals, give wholesome 
instruction, interpretation, and inspiration. 



The It has been suggested (P.lBT III. Ch. 1) that the most 
grading of important problem of method is that of grading the 
sex in- instruction to the needs and character of the young. 
struction. V/e need no argument for grading. V/e have long triel to 

grade the matter of our day schools to the intelligence 

of the pupils. How much more is grading necessary v;hen 
in addition we must adjust our instruction to the emotional states of 
the child as well as to his powers and habits of behavior. Anything 
which de;:ands an appeal to motives and behavior i.vust be more exactly 
adjusted to the person than mere appeals to intelligence. It would 
scarcely seem necessary to make these statements if it were not for the 



128. 

fact that 60-ne vei*y intelligent people V7ait tmtil their boys and girls 
reach the age of 14 or 16 and then give then facts and exhortations, 
so:ae of which to be of any value the child should have had at 6 and 
some of which would be better postponed until 18* They seen to think 
all that is necessary on their part is that the child shall under s tand 
the facts, nhereas he must accept, appreciate, assirrdlate, and devote 
himself to the life toward xvhich they point. Each fact and each suitable 
interpretation of it should be timed exactly therefore to meet the child's 
curiosity and its emotional and sexual needs. It is difficult to say 
which is worse,- to satisfy the intellectual and emotional needs of the 
child too late or to stir it up unnecessarily, ahead of tine, by revealing 
to it facts and meanings which give it spiritual indigestion and aversion. 
Both are very bad. 

The prin- Briefly, in proper grading of our sex instruction we must 
cipal consider all the important variables that nalie one child 
factors different from another, or the same child different at 
that enter different times. Of course we do not yet Imow enough of 
into the human nature to do this with great accuracy. This is a 
grading of field in which only careful research can give us firm 
sex in- standing. But in the meantime we must do the best we can; 
struction- instead of ignoring the factors because we do not fully 

understand them. In addition, the external circumstances 

which are influencing the child differ from time to time, 
sad these must also be taken into account in determining hov; and by whom 
he can be helped in respect to sex. The following are some of the most 
outstanding factors to be respected in our plans: 

1) Sex - There is increasing evidence that boys and girls 
need different facts and different emphaeie, in some degree. 

2) General menipal social, and moral deve , lopment . 

3 ) Sexual develonment , 

4) General sophistication , knov/ledge, experience, etc. 

5) ^ , e;c gophistication . and imowledge. 

6) The stage in social prog:ress and transition,- as from 
home to school, to work, etc. 

7) Ag§- (Strictly speaking, age has no value except as it 
enters into the above factors which actually influence the education. 
All the other factors, except the sex are determined in part by age; 

and sex partly determines the age-rate at which the other factors progress^ J 

Influence In the first place, sex influences rate of development and 
of sex time of sexual maturity. Girls outstrip boys in this race, 
upon method This, so far as it goes, makes it necessary, except during 
and the early years, that corresponding instruction for girls 
grading. shall come a little earlier than for boys. More important 

^ still, the biological differences betv/een the sexes and the 

consequent fuhdanental difference in their social functions, 
coupled with the afferences in personal and social psychology which grow 



■••- .■^:;.a^i!..iv^.--;...- ■^^ \^ 



:)u: 



129, 

out of these, indicate that ^^irls an' boys should not receive identical 
sex instruction* Neither their physiological processes, their emotional 
states, -Bcr their social obligations call for just the same emphasis, 
interpretations and methods of sublirnaticn needed 77ith boys, except 
perhaps in the earlier stages of childhood. Just ho-\7 different the 
matters and aethod should be, nobody loiows at present. It is felt, 
ho^7ever, that v;e lmox7 enou^;h to say that the sezes should not, after the 
earliest years at least, get their direct sex instruction together; and 
that a special emphasis should be given to each which harmonizes fully 
with their natural, and somewhat with their conventional, fimctions and 
roles in life. This statement is not at all intended to indicate that 
these conventions are wholly sound or final; but that they are roughly 
in accord with the essential causes of evolution and that further real 
progress even if we depart from them must be baseJ upon them. 

State of In trying to grade sex instruction to individual develop- 
develop- nent we thinlc primarily of sex -developaent. Nevertheless 
ment and this is complicated at every point by the degree of mental 
grading. development. The rate of both may vary in different in- 

, dividuals; and in a single individual either the sexual or 

the mental development nay outrun the other. It is quite 
clear that the state of development of each of these functions will help 
deter.'.iine what ought to be, or can be, dene hy way of education at any 
given time. This then must always be a vital factor in grading. Age only 
roughly indicates development. 

Various efforts have been made to divide the life into 
stages on the basis of the sex development (assuming that the mental 
development is roughly parallel v/ith it). None of these can be wholly 
satisfying. One such is given as fellows :- 

1) The infantile period . This includes the first 3 or 4 
years, in subnormal individuals it lasts much longer, 

2) The pre-nuhertal period , extending from ttte age of 4 to 
puberty (approximately, say, 11-14 years of age). 

3) The adolescent period , extending from puberty tc maturity'' 
(say to the 25th year), or to marriage if it occurs earlier than this. 
This period is often divided into an earlier (to 17 or 18), and a later 
stage of adolescence. 

4) The marital period , including the period of reproductive 
activity (to 45 or 59). 

5) The aenile period , which involves the "change of life", 
the waning uf the sex functions, plus the corresponding mental and 
e..iotional changes. 

In the fcllov/ing discussion we are chiefly concerned with 
the first 3 periods in this list. 



130* 

Sez sopMs- If it is clear that sex education ought to respect the 
tication in stage of development, it is even more clear that a 
relation to young persorf;^ sez lmov;ledge and sex experience ivill 
grading, profoundly determine what his elders can do for him. 

It often happens, for example, that boys already taiow, 

from other boys and from personal experiment, more than 
the teacher is telling. It is obvious that a child coning from a 
hoine in which the utmost care has been taken to nalse clear and attractive 
all the facts and meanings of sex appropriate to his. age, will call for a 
very different type of "follow- up" instruction from that needed by a 
gsimin whose every impression of sex has been precocious, perverse and 
vulgar. Of course, there can be no standardization here. Every child 
is a law to hiraself and his help must be graded individually on the 
basis of the teacher's ability to figure out what his state of nind and 
conduct is in relation to the subject. 

Social Scarcely less important, if at all so, in determining the 
and life method and adjustment of sex education to the child are 
movements his movements in society. This involves the various 
and steps or stages in his social life, as: while he is wholly 
grading, dependent for influence on the members of his family in 
■ the home; when he first begins to associate with out- 

siders; ^vhen he starts to kindergarten or to Sunday school; 
when he enters grade school and high school; when He starts to work,- and 
the like, Ihese changes, in a certain percent of children, take place 
pretty definitely in relation to age,- though individual intelligence, the 
economic and social inequalities, the character of the parents, and many 
other things determine the rate at which the child moves through these 
periods. For those children who can pass steadily along through the 
school program, a division of life may be made which has value in sex 
education because nev; teaching influences and agencies are broiaght into 
their life, which may be used advantageously to advance or degrade the 
sex character. These periods are:- 

1^ The early , hone period . This includes the first 5 or 6 
years, and is a time during v/hich the home and family are the chief 
educating influences,- with the street, the Sunday school and the 
kindergarden coming in to modify these. 

Z) The TJ&riod of the early grades . This includes the next 
6 or 8 years during -vhich the child is unusually xmder the supervision 
of only one person for each grade. In a very considerable degree the 
school displaces the home during this time. 

3) The High School age . A period of 4 or 6 years in which 
there is a transit from the one-room, one-teacher, close supervision to 
a condition of definite depart;rents, greater personal freedom, and keener 
social stimulation. Five-sixths of the young people of this age, hw 
however, are not in school at all. Hence young people of this age are 
roughly in two classes from the point of view of sex e;Iucation, each class 
presenting ver^ different problems.'- the smaller number whose character 
education can be advanced by the school system; and the much larger 
number who are at work, and must be aide.! if at all by the general 
comm-unity agencies. 



131. 

4) The (iollep;e age, fcr such as can pursue their eJucaticn 
beyond the high school. This is a very sr.iall percent of the young 
people frc.i 17 to 21, and v/oul^l not fairly serve to name a period, if it 
were not for the double fact;l) that they will furnish an unduly large 
percent of the leaders in all social .novenents during their generation, 
and 2) that they are in a peculiarly favorable position for receiving 
the best loiov/lec'ge and interpretations which the race has in respect to 
the natter under consideration. Their favorable position, hov/ever, 
■nust bot blind us to the fact that some 98^ of the young people at this 
age nust have their education through very different agencies, and be 
differently graded. 

5) The pqriod of naturi . ty . The suggestions to be made 
^bout persons in this class, so far as this r.mnual is concerned, are 
given in various places in connection \vith adult connunit:/ eiucation » 
This book is v/ritten to help persuade people in this period of life to 
exert their talents and influence in the fullest measure to guide the 
younger people of their communities. Their problems are those of home 
making, of social and coomunity leadership, and of education. 

Correla- It will be seen that there is only a rough hamony 
tion of between these various r.iethods of dividing early life, 
the For example, the early home period includes the infantile 
various peri od . and a little i.icre; the pre-pubertal period extends 
divisions from the home into the upper grades; adolescence includes 
of life the high school and college ages, an.l more. The accompanying 
in youth. diagram will aid the eye in bringing together these divisions 
, or periods of life and in relating them to some of the 

agencies through which the education must be given. 
Manifestly it is not possible to get into any such scheme as this the 
degree of sophistication, the special accidents and temptations of the 
surroundings, ncr any of the other perplexing variations v/hich must be 
taken into account with every child. 

The forma- It seems to the writer that any general division of life 
tion of a into educational periods for sex training must continually 
practical hold in mind three main things:- the se x crises in the life 
working of the child, the social crises which directly or indirectly 
division of must affect sex emotions and relations , and the agencies 
life for which in the nature of things must, when we get our full 
purposes of bearings, do the actual work. 
sex 
education, 1) The more definite critical points in individual sex 

development are: birth, davm of consciuusness of sex 

phenomena, puberty with its physical and emotional chsmges, 
the origin of homosexual emotions, the dav.-n and growth of love and of 
desire for the other sex, and the waning of sexual powers. 

2) The critical points in social relations which are likely 
to sffect decidedly the sexual life are:- the early family drama, parental 
sex education, the intimate contacts with servants or older children 
leading to secret sex revelations, the gang (homosexual) relations, 
sweethearting (heterosexual), marriage; and parenthood. 



132, 

3) The agencies, of sufficiently definite place in the 
program of education to help determine time and method of instruction, 
are:- the home, the church and Sunday school, the day school and the 
progressive social groupings into gangs ^ cluhs, etc. The critical 
points in respect to these agencies are: starting to Sunday school 
and kindergarden; starting to school: confirmation or other religious 
ceremony of initiation; initiation into cluhs or gangs; starting to 
high school; and leaving school or home for v;ork. Of course there are 
many special social agencies whose influence \7ill bulk large in the 
life of certain children. Some of these are:- Christian dissociations, 
Scouts, Big Brothers and Sisters, and other formal clubs or associations 
which undertake to enrich and make safe the lives of yoimg people. 

In the chapters v/hich follov/ the writer will seek to 
express the aims and problems and matter and method of sex education 
under the foil ov/ing heads, v/hich in some degree represent a combination 
of the above considerations, ad.iusted very largely to the ggencies o f 
instruction . This emphasis on the agencies in setting the period seems 
to him the more sound because there is general agreement (more laniform 
than about any other single idea in the program of sex education) that 
all direct or intimate sex instruction must fall naturally in, and be an 
integral part of, the general education for life, just as sex is a 
natural and integral part of life itself. For this reason it is obvious 
that our effort must be to find out where and how in the regular work of 
the home and the school and the church, these agencies can most in- 
conspicuously fit the suitable sex emphasis into their regular work. 
Their regular functions will set the periods, and while continual effort 
will be made to adjust it to the actual state of the child, sex education 
in practise will be thought of in terms of the periods in which these 
more important agencies can operate. In this spirit the following 
periods of sex education are suggested,- fully recognizing that other 
factors than those that name the periods must be considered, and equally 
that no two children call for the same schedule or exactly the same 
emphasis. 

1) The early home period of 6 or S years, when the home is 
easily the supreme influence. This Includes all the infantile period, 
and overlaps the early years of Sunday School, and school (Kindergarden). 
It is not intended to imply that parents -should necessarily take second 
place to ai^body, even in the later period; though, until they are 
better prepared, many of them --.Till, 

E) The grade school TJeriod . This embraces the prepubertal 
period, and is the most important of the school periods, because it is 
the only one in which the bulk of the child population is in school. 
It also includes the time of confirmation and initiation into church 
relations, as well as the beginning of other voluntary social groupings. 

3) The period of early adolescence , (the high school age ) } 
Sexually this is a time of transition from homosexual interests and 
impulses to interest in the other sex, and of the active development of 
sexual desire and companionship between the sexes. Educationally it 
marks a larger interest in science, in literature, and the arts, in 
athletics, and in manual and practical enterprises,- depending on the 
individual bent and opportunity. All this rides upon the biological 
changes at puberty, and after. 



133. 

4) The period of later adolesceijce . (The post-hig?i school 
age, 17 to maturity). Sexually this is raarkeu by sex::ial maturity, 
courtship, preparations for marriage. Educationally it is a period of 
preparation for particular ^vork in life, the starting upon that v/orlc, 
and the crystallization of one's permanent philosophy of life and charac- 
ter, sexual and other. The four succeeding chapters v;ill disouss in 
detail some of the possible practical steps in education of sex-social 
character for these four periods. 



3CH11:E to SYircHHONlZE CER'l'km PSYCHOLOGICAL 
EDUCATIONAL PHENOI.IENA OF YOUTH 



134. 



Practical Divisions 
of the Irflrn:-ture 
Life:Educational 



School : Church 
Systen i Schools 



Sociril : Tentative psychological 

Life : divisions, v/ith bcsis 

Llovenents : in sex development. 



Some sex-socicl 
phenonena , in- 
ternal and ex- 
ternal, ^vhich 
condition the 
educative steps, 



I.Early 
Home 
Period 



(2: 



(3: 



Kinder- 
garden ( 



( 'l, Beginners 



4: 



(StHone to 



2. Grade 2: 
School3: 
Poriod4: 



2.Prim. ry 



School 



{12: 



paration 



6. Advanced 



(25:. 



5:^ 


.Junior 


(10: 

(12: 
(13: 




6: 




Junior (7: 


School ; 


H.S. (6: 


to 


(9: 


4. Inter- 
no diate 


(14:. 

(15:. 
(16: 


Work 


3. High (10: 
Schod-^^^ 




: 



Senior 

. H.S. 






(17: Leaving 


17 




.Seni 


or 


(18: School 


18 


4. College J 


(19: 


19 


Period : 
5 


(20: 


20 


: 


(21: leaving 


21 


5, Pro- : 
fession- 






(22: School 
(25: 


22 
23 


al prc- 


(r4: 


24 



:25 



1. Infantile 



2. Pre -adolescent 
(L »rgcly a l.::,ten t 
period in respect 
to sex. ) 



3. Adolescent 

(Interest chiirifly 
in members of 
ovm sex, ) 



4.P0S t-adolescent 
(Dominant irtercst 
in members of 
other sc:<.] 



5.Matvaity 



Dominant in- 
fluence of 
mother and the 
family. 



First sex curio- 
sities and 
knot/ledge. 

Apart of in- 
creasing general 
curiosity. 

Trial and error 
in experimenting. 

Manly aspirations: 
Hormones: 

Other phenomena 
of puberty 

Anticipation of 
love for girls. 



Companionship 
of sexes. 

Or.ystalization 
of philosopliy 
on se:: life; 
social or anti- 
social. 

Conscious pro- 
ps/at'.on for 
definite 
leadership. 



135. 



Chapter 4. G:he Early Home Period in Sex Education . 

The exten;t V/hile the influence of the home and the parents v.lll 
of the ordinarily be po\7erful throughout early life, it is so 
period. nearly exclusive during the first few years that v;e 

may fairly call this the home period . Until the child 

starts regularly to school there is nothing which seriously 
challenges the parents' place in the child's development. The. period 
divides somewhat naturally into two portions:- the first 3 or 4 years , 
v/hich comprise the infantile period; and another of E to 4 years, in 
vv'hich there is a "hang-over" of the first part, supplemented by a 
gradual coming of influences from the Sunday school, the kindergarden, 
the primary grades, and the play associates of the child. These latter 
years are a period of transition on the part of the child from exclusive 
home influence to that of the general social agencies. In this dis- 
cussion jbhese first 6 or 8 years v/ill be treated as one period, because 
the home influence is normally dominant throughout it. 

The import- Parents cannot possibly use this period effectively for 
ance of character unless they can really appreciate the conditions 
conditions under which a child groxrs up. This demands that they 
of the really apply their imagination to the facts in the case. 
child's V/e so much take for granted these home conditions that 
life at we by no means realiza how and why these first 6 or 8 years 
this time, really give set to the whole after-life of the child. It 

is not too much to say that disposition, mental and social 

tastes, the basic emotional elements in character, habits, 
etc, which largely decide the later life are pretty well fixed by the time 
a child is eight years old, and that this is done by the daily routine of 
home life, often unconsciously. The first task for parents in trying to 
mould character, including sex qualities, is to understand what is 
taking place. 

The personal In the first place parents must Icnow that the child is not 
elements in a blank at birth. It is distinctly ready for business at 
these con- every point. It has inherited already all the tendencies 
ditione v/hich come to it from all its past ancestors. Its 

' hujmnity, its sex, the mechanism by which it performs all 

the normal functions, all the natural nervous connections and reflexes and 
instincts that are the foundation of its emotional and behavior life hare 
had a nine months' grov/th under the peculiar conditions which its mother 
furnished. It is not too much to say that .alread;; it has been adjusting 
these inherited elements to the conditioas of its pre-natal life; not 
consciously, of course. Physically its body has already started the 
growth which will continue after birth; its senses are already formed; 
motions and the beginnings of habits are doubtless there at birth, and 
go right on afterward; the nervous system has already set the stage for 
what v/e call the emotions, and these play at once about every infantile 
experience, and develop within what we call disposition and attitudes. 
Kone of these can be held back for a moment* Already the sex nature is 
set up with the rest. Its organs and their secretions have been entering 



136. 

along v/ith all the other factors v.-hich determine development. These do 
not stop at birth, i'^or days its chief pleasures come from the sensations 
about the motith, the anns, and the sex-urinary organs, as it performs the 
basic functions. Even so habits that enter into the character of the 
child are being formed by way of these simple processes, Not an hour 
passes but that something which the child, does or something which is 
done to it is thus modifying positively the nature of the being. No part 
of the child is so much or rapidly affected during these early days as 
the raw materials that enter into its sex character . (See Part III Ch,,2), 

Social Equally parents must come to realize the social conditions 
elements into v/hich the sexed child is born in a representative home, 
in the Again our lack of imagination usually allov/s us to take all 
surround- this for granted and to think that the matter is very simple, 
ings of Here are tv/o people brought together by all the pov^er and 
the child. attraction of their differing sex natures. They have built 

up an institution \v'hich differs from every other home as 

their sex natures, their intelligence, and their characters 
differ from every other pair of human beings. The relations of husband 
and wife to each other, based upon sex and modified by personal temperameiat 
and the incidents of every day life, may run, even in twenty-four hours, 
through the widest possible range from keen expressions of sympathy and 
love to fierce conflict of feelings. The mother with her constant services 
to the child brings sex,-' the feminine aspect of sex,- continually to the 
child's attention. The father in a similar way, with slight service and 
V7ith masculine manner and voice, no less makes a sex impression and a very 
different one, wholly unrecognized as such by the child 9 and too dimly 
recognized by the parents. 

If there are also other children of both sexes in the fanily, 
these add to but do not essentially alter the .elements of the family 
drama which v/ill, even if no word is spoken about it, give the child sn 
unconscious education in and attitude toward the most vital of the sex 
phenomena and relations. 

If these family relations and expressio ns are all that 
love and consideration, high character, and an intelligent appreciation 
of their profound educative effect on the children can make them, we 
cannot conceive a more wholesome condition under v.'hich the child can 
be introduced to the sex life of huaan beings. If, on the other hand, 
these sex and character relations of the parents are gross and selfish, 
haphazard anc capricious, full of conflicts, then the character of the 
child and the quality of its sex attitudes and life will be sure to suffer. 

It is only in recent years that students of human 
psycholog7 have adequately brought our attention to the degree to which 
the home drama is a sex drama in the first place, and the degree to 
which it influences the child, both in respect to general aspects of 
character and in the whole color and trend of the sex nature. This 
latter effect grows out of the fact, also poorly understood until 
recently, that the sex nature of the child is operating much earlier 
in life than we realize, 



137, 

Educational From the preceding paragraphs it v/ill be evident that 

conditions there is from the beginning a tremendous amount of un- 

in the home conscious education in sex attitude and character 

in this talcing place in every home. It may be vicious and destructive 

period, to the best in character or it may be very v/holesome; but 

the education is inevitable. Unfortunately mere desire and 

good intentions on the part of the parents will not make 
it good education. Certainly, hoxvever, it will be a help to conscientious 
parents to kno^v that a home in v;hich a domineering father represses both 
mother and children, or the less ustial homes v/here the mother plays this 
role over a weaK father, or where there are violent alternations of sex 
tenderness and passions of anger, cannot hope to produce children with 
normal balance, self control, or an attitude of using socially the sex 
life and emotions. 

In addition, however to making this daily, unconscious 
education sound, there is the added problem of conducting the conscious 
and formal education of children in character and sex. The unconscious 
education ofrora a poorly adjust home life may ruin the character of the 
child; but it cannot, however perfect the home, fill the needs for 
positive education. The child must have the meanings of the home life 
progressively interpreted and explained to it. He does not have the 
intelligence nor experience which will enable him to understand or to 
make the application. Roughly, one may say that the sex educational 
work of the homo is to interpret inspiringly to a child the nature and 
meaning of the home itself, and of hiB' own sex development v;hile he is a 
part of it and in anticipation for his own home later. In terms of 
character, the home should succeed in making the child an appreciative 
and cooperating player in the drama of the home in which he is born and 
in fitting him most happily and efficiently to take a leading part in 
his own. This expresses, from the personal and the social point of view, 
the main objective of sex education. 

Chief types V/hat are the actual elements, facts and conditions which 

of facts of we can use in sex education during these highly formative 

outstanding years? It is important to look at our educative materials 

educative in this light, for by doing so they will seem too few, 

significance rather than too numerous, for reaching our results. By 

in this this means each will seem an asset, rather than a task 

early as at present, 
period, 

, The chief classes of sex facts of which one should take 

advantage at this period are: 

1) The simple facts about the best meaning of the home in 
which he is living, how this helps children, the part each : member of 
the family plays in it and why, and the spirit in v/hich it must be 
supported by all in order to bring happiness. 

2) A few practical facts of sex hygiene, to be given in 
close connection v/ith the care and health of his whole person. 

3) The facts to which the child's own interest and curiosity 
naturally lead, His curiosity v/ill call chiefly for facts, and the 



138. 

explanations of the facts, about the beginning of hiinself and of other 
little children, and of various sexual differences that strike him in 

human beings and in animals. 

4) Certain other facts about life and development to which 
his curiosity may not lead v/hich nevertheless he ought to knov; something 
about in a fine and wholesome way, so as to anticipate the gossip of the 
street, Those might be illustrated by the courtesies which real men 
pay to women, and other customs pertaining to the home and society, 

Cf course these groups of facts overlap at many points. 
The more important of them will be enumerated and used later in this 
chapter under the head of "projects". 

V/hat we It is necessary that we bear in mind continually the fact 
are seeking that we are not seeking to give the child knowledge of a 
in sex certain number of facts. V/e are seeking to develop charac -' 
education. ter by the best use of those facts . V/e have seen that four 

of the principal elements in character of any kind are:- 

habits ; knovi^ledge . and judgment ; desires , tastes, likes and 
satisfactions; ideals and atti tudes ^ In the paragraphs that follow we 
shall discuss the education of the young child in tho home from this 
four-fold point of view. 

We must not forget either that we cannot separate character 
in sex from character in other respects. General habits influence sex 
habits; general tastes modify tho sex tastes; general ideals condition the 
sex ideals; and contra-wise. For example, if we rear a child to be self- 
indulgent and unrestrained about eating or amusement, we cannot justly 
expect that he v/ill have an attitude of control in the realm of sex when 
these desires arise. If the home life has not established habits of order 
and regularity and of accepting responsibility in general, we cannot hope 
that his sex life v;ill take on these qualities. If a child has not 
confidence in its parents in the daily work of life, they cannot easily 
displace his companions of the street v^hcn he is interested in the facts 
and relations of sex. If parents have allowed the lualities of lov/ and 
coarse people to seem admirable to the child, xhey cannot expect the 
sex tastes and likes to be on a high level. In a very real sense, then, 
everything which parents i-nay do to develop high character qualities of 
any kind in their children becomes the foundation of his sex education* 
This gives us an added chance to get sound sex qualities in an indirect, 
and to the child unconscious, way. 

V/hat we Assuming that the physician has seen that there are no 

seek in abnormalities about the genitals or other pelvic organs, 

the way of which could unnecessarily influence the child; and that 

sexual tho clothing is so made as not to rub or bind the parts 

habits in or to encourage handling or playing with the organs, - 

this period, v/e should secure, by tho time the child is 6 or 8 years 

old, some definite personal habits v;hich bear directly 

on the whole problem of sex life and education. 



139. 

Special habits . The child should have habits of regular 
and prompt attention to such bodily functions as defecation and urina- 
tion, without giving over-much thought to the subject; of complete 
cleanliness of all the pelvic regions as a part of the general cleanliness; 
of kepplng the hands off the organs except when necessary and of not 
allowing others except the parents to handle them; of not dressing or 
sleeping too ivarmly; of sleeping alone and until time to get up, and of 
rising promptly on vyaking; of thinking of all the pelvic organs and 
functions as naturally as of other functions, of regarding them as 
suitable matter for free; unembarrassed reference, when necessary, 
within the family ; tit including these, along with many of the family 
interests as strictly "fam,ily affairs ". In this way all necessary 
reticence and secrecy can usually be gained without giving the feeling 
that there is something inherently vulgar about these things. This 
places the taboo at a more logical point. 

General habits . There are a few general habits which, for 
one reason or another bear strongly upon this problem of educating sex 
character. One of these is the habit of confidence and trust in the 
■ p&Tent3 . I/Iost parents struggle more or less for obedience; but this 
free confidence is much more important. If the energy that is misapplied 
in trying to get a kind of grudging obedience from children were given 
to securing genuine habits of mutual confidence and sympathy and con- 
sideration between child and parents, hopes of sound character would 
increase immensely, and incidentally obedience vrould be sincerer. Of 
course no child can have this confidence unless it is merited and unless 
the ground for it are made persuasive and convincing to the child. The 
burden of proof here is always on the parent. 

Another necessary habit, somewhat related to the preceding, 
is the habit of frank and open expression on the part of the child . This 
does not relate merely to ideas and words. Full emotional expression on 
the part of the child is extremely valuable, both for the inner character 
of the child and as an index to the parent of the child's disposition and 
progress in the emotional elements of character. 

Ko child of real character can grov; up without sharp emotions 
arising,- as of anger, shame, fear, hate, sorrow, curiosity, love, jealousy, 
envy and a score of others. Because the easiest expression of these may 
take some form v/hich is disagreeable to us, as crying, fighting, and the 
like, we are accustomed to deny the expression wherever we can, even by 
threats and other repressive measures, As a matter of fact these emotions, 
when genuine, should always come to some effective and satisfying expression 
at least to the degree of outlet for the child, and that the parent can 
understand the child's inner state and the child may know that the parent 
understands . This does not mean that the child should be encouraged to 
emit continuous wails to announce disappointment, or indulge in savage 
hitting out when angry. Much less does it mean that coddling treatment 
practiced by many parents which encourages the child to feel or pretend 
to feel these emotions whenever it wants attention. 



140 » 

On the contrary it is quite possible to abbreviate and 
refine these expressions, even v/hile v/e encourage them, so that the 
child's mind will be freed of the tension, the parent v/ill understand 
and give the needed help v/ithout begetting either the resentment and 
sullenness and strain that comes from repression, or the habit of over -' 
expression, exaggeration and self-indulgence in the child v;hich comes 
from petting. The child can be made to understand that the parent is glad 
to know how it feels and that the briefest possible statement of it will brin 
.full; sympathy and help over the difficulty. 

If parents insist on complete repression of emotional 
expressions, they do not thereby repress the emotion. Instead they 
create an inner conflict in the child-, and also erect a barrier which 
interrupts the frank understanding and confidence between parent and 
child, linder these conditions the parent cannot possibly hope to guide 
and educate the emotional factors in the child's nature constructively^ 

It is not necessary that the child should understand the 
psychology of these steps in order for this to come about. Of course 
we should not make the child morbidly self-exaraining; but the child 
should know and recognize the differenc e of feelin g in anger, fear, and 
disappointment by the time it is five years old just as clearliy as it 
can distinguish between the feelings of hunger and thirst. 'Phat is to 
say, the child should knov/ when it feels fear or anger or jealousy» It 
should also feel oqtially as free to take the feelings to his parents, and 
know something of how to relieve the tension in ways that are wortl^ of the 
close bond between the child and parent. 

How to These habits which hear upon character and sex do not differ 
secure from any other habits in their manner of developments 
these (See Part III.Ch,2). There is, of course, no royal road to 

habits. habits. They can be formed only by repeated conduct 

associated always v;ith a premium of pleasure and self 

approval in the child . The parents of course must see that 

this premium is furnished just as naturally as possible. 

If there is the warmth and genuine sympathy and fran3cness, 
such as has been suggested, between parents and children, and this 
usually rests wholly in the hands of the parents, it will not be 
difficult to use this relation to devise positive satisfactions which are 
real and convincing to the particular child. There are no rewards B.t this 
period more powerful than those included in the approvals and privileges 
of the home relations themselves, if we do not bankrupt our opportionity 
by harshness and respression, or on the other hand surfeit the child by 
too lavish use of these premiums. 

It will be a definite aid in getting these xmart:;i'i'3ial 
habits in respect to sex if the scientific names for all the pelvic 
organs and parts of organs, and for their functions are always used. 
In the early stages before this is possible, a family code, purely local 
and unassociated with useful v.,'ords and phrases, is valuable. Certain 
arbitrary and unusual and meaningless syllables could be devised for 
this purpose. XJhen the street terras come to the child's ears, the 
parents should translate them at once into the scientific terms, and thus' 
give these priority and a standard place in the child's mind, (See project 2, 
ch. 9.) 



141. 

V/hat should V/e cannot of course enijmcrate here all the beginninA"s of 
the period icnnwlexl ga, uhi ch a child of six or eight should have, that 
give in the will bear .nore or less upon the future sex attitudes and 
way of conduct of the individual. Certainly, ho\yever, some 
Isnowledge. wholesome start should be made in respect to the following 
ideas: 

1) General home values . Educatively, it appears to me these 
are the basic ideas which can be made clear earliest of all and will be 

of greatest value in introducing others. Possibly this is more a matter 
of esthetic appreciation than of more ideas,- or better still perliaps a 
combination of these. These ideas include a sense of the satisfactoriness 
of the home and its invaluable goodness to all concerned; an understanding 
of the way in v/hich a spirit of mutual consideration and willingness makes 
it go better for everybody; an appreciation of the normal part which all, 
even the youngest are doing in making the home; a. very elementary taiow- , 
ledge of the chief elements in the making of homes,- the work, the finances, 
the loves and cultures, the asaociations and services, the duties,- that is 
to say of the economic, the psychological, the social and ethical factors; 
a conception of the reasons why life is freer and happier in a true home 
than anywhere else; and a sense of the relation of the home to the outside 
world. The importance of these facts is two-fold;- they all arise out of 
the fundamental sex impulses and character v/ith v/hich we are dealing; and 
the idea and facts of this home v/hich gives him his start, and the imagina- 
tion (later) of his ov/n home will taken together do more to determine 
his sex ideals and behavior than anything else v/hatsoever. (See project 8, 
ch. 9), 

2) Special facts about the pe r sonnel of the home . Here we 
may class the personal characteristics of and differences betv/een the 
father and mother and the brothers and sisters. This includes of course 
the differences in home and social duties and relations referred to above; 
but in addition, the more' obvious differences of body, mind and dis- 
position betv/een the males and the females of the family. Of course 

the child should apply these revelations to himself and learn to understand, 
as boy or girl, hov; he differs from the members of the other sex in these 
broad particulars. All these are direct sex facts v/hich are influencing 
his life and character unconsciously bat profoundly, hourly, from the 
beginning. It is simply becuase of these differences that his feelings for 
his mother differ from those he has for his father. There are no other 
differences in the family relation that bulk so large in this practical 
way as those depending on sex. It would be gross neglect of opportunity if 
these outstanding facts and differences bfhuraan sex, which must come to 
him sooner or later, should not be early and permanently tieu up with his 
appreciation of home values .and v;ith the affection of those whc are 
dearest to hira. If this is done rightly sex can never come to be v;holly 
vulgar to him, and may thereby be permanently ennobled, (See projects &,7 &9 
ch. 9), 

3) Facts about the origin of life .- One of the early groups 
of facts which the child v/ill want to know is where the new baby, in his 
family or in the neighbor's fami3.y, came from. He may raise the question 
about his ov/n origin. Of course this is a large contract, involving a 
good many details, and thox^e is no necessity of meeting the situation all 
at once. This mere knovv'ledge of the way in v/hich nev; animals, and plants, 



142 

and hui.ians begin life, by the mature parents producing some Icind of 
small and young offspring, is in itself calculated to -inspire wonder 
and fit the child's emotional life for great appreciation, (See 
project- 4 Ch. 9), There is* of course, no end of illustrations in 
nature, and in books, xvhich can bo used to give the child satisfaction 
through understanding v/ithout the familiar "and wholly discredited dodges 
of storks, doctors, and the like. The youn^'? child is asking, of course, 
about the origin of everything, and there is no reason why we should 
allow our ansxvers to this question to separate themselves from tae 
other interesting things we are telling him about origin and nature of 
other things* There are two special questions, hov/ever, in connection 
with this general one which offer peculiar opportunities f6r training* 
These are:- 

4) The mother's part in rebroductiOn of life , which will 
usually need to be met in some fashion, from the human point of view, 
somewhere about the age of 4 to 6, varying according to circumstances. 
This is such a superb opportunity for educating character that parents 
should study to find in what way it may be made of most use. For a 
detailed treatment of this question, see project 5,ch,9, 

5) Elementary facts about the human father's part in 
reproduction . So far as the normal curiosity of the boy or girl is con- 
cerned, this question would not need to be answered in this first period. 
It probably would not arise. However, because older children will begin 
to talk to the child about these things soon after it starts to school, 

if not before, and give it false impressions and vulgarized interpretations, 
it seems to me that fathers and mothers should keep particularly close to 
the children of about 6 or 6 years and time the use of this sot of facts 
either to anticipate the interpretation of the street or immediately to 
correct them. Certainly there ought to be a very convincing standing 
offer from the parents that, whenever the child hears anything about 
these family matters from the outside or has any questions he wants to 
ask about them, they will be glad to set the matter straight to his 
satisfaction. I.Iany good teachers maintain that this need does not arise 
so early; and in my opinion they are wrong, V^hile there may be dangers 
in the early telling, there are infinitely greater ones in denying the 
information, For a detailed treatment of a v/ay to handle this question 
constrtictively, see project 7,, ch. 9. 

Hov/ can Most of the classes of ideas and impressions referred to in 
this the preceding section can be impartei very gradually, almost 
necessary or entirely unconsciously to the child, and without any 
knowledge special emphasis on the sex aspects. This will come about 
be given? through the observation and assimilation on the part of the 

child of the daily life of a well ordered home; by special 

imadvertised acts or devices of the parents to emphasize or 
interpret the meaning of the home pioactices; by a word or suggestion here 
and there of explanation or inspiration or application; by many informal 
conversations, from which the child can understand the feelings of the 
parents about the home; by using all the extraordinary incidents and 
occasions which bear upon these problems of sex and character to impress 
permanently the necessary truths along with the wonder of the child. 
These statements are particularly true in respect to what have been 
called "General home values". Appreciation of these cannot be had by 



143, 

nagging and preaching. Tlie values must be inade appealing to the child 
practically, and then must not come to him too cheaply. He must do 
his part, as all the rest do, to win and enjoy them, iiccompanied "by 
timely explanations and interpretations, such a program v/ill win the 
average child. 

The manner of utilizing the sex differences in the family 
to develop not merely the knov/ledge hut the sex ideals and attitudes of 
the children Vvrill be discussed in chapter 9, "project''^: and the manner 
of imparting the knowledge of the manner of his own origin will be given 
in projects 4 and 5 , 

In general the child's questions should be met frankly and 
sincerely, inviting a distinct sense of companionship and partnership 
in knoivledge; there should be no question of shame or sense of embarrass- 
ment; and no sharp differentiation of sex ideas from other interesting 
knowledge. In so far as possible the personal and concrete point of 
view should be used. Start with his chickens, kittens, baby brother, 
family. Generalizations should always follow to absorb these particulars, 
so that they will not seem peculiar, 

Vi/hat may be Of course it is much less easy to deal concretely and 
secured in practically with tastes, desires, satisfactions and 
the way of motives than it is with ideas and knowledge; and yet for 
tastes, their influence upon character these emotions are very much 
likes and more important than mere knowledge, \\ihile there is no 
desires? thought that the child can in these early years master and 

become proficient ih all the things mentioned below, it 

cannot be too keenly realized by the parents that, if he does 
JlQt:. make good beginning on them in the first six or eight years, the 
chances are he never willi It is remarkable how much of this all-important 
taste or appreciation side of life, which v;e may think of as spirit or 
disposition , is fixed at this early age. The task of training emotions 
is so difficult that most of our religious teachers hold that only super- 
natural power can change the "spirit" of human beings. All that we know 
of modern psychology tends to shov; us however that these elements can be 
moulded by natural methods as definitely as the intellect can. Possibly 
the following enumerations may aid the parent to see the problems more 
concretely. 

1) As has been suggested already, the child should at six 
be v;ell along in ability to recogni ze and to distinguish and to express . 
in self-satisfying but not socially disagreeable way8 „such desires and 
emotional states as the follov.lng:- desire to urinate and defecate, hunger, 
thirst, curiosity, loneliness, unrest, depression, excitement, sullenness, 
desire for entertainment, fear, anger, shame, disgust, jealousy, and many 
others; and their opposites. He should also have achievecl the beginnings 
of a definite desire to correct or to cultivate any of these states of 
mind in such a way as to keep most happ ily adjusted to his fa rgj ly an d 
surroundings . Of course it is the duty of the parents to encourage this 
desire and to help the child be most happy v/hen the desire or impulse has 
been most v/isely and socially handled by him. 



144. 

2) The prinary impulses, tastes and desires of early 
childhood are the more crass, immediate, and self -considering. In 
gen Viral the more individualistic impulses such as hunger, desire for 
possessions, and jealousy are strong enough and need no encouragement. 
The more social and unselfish impulses are certainly native to the 
child also; hut they do not come to their full pov;er within him so 
early as the more selfish. Nor should they. J^urthermore, they are 
not so certain to develop vlthout encouragement. It is at this point 
particularly that the child needs help in its earliest years. 

There is no question that the inner tastes and desires 
and likings of the normal child can be so trained that it v/ill prefer 
and get more satisfaction from activity tton from sloth, from sharing 
than from grabbing, from frank companionship than from fighting, from 
cooperating with his mother on a give and take basis than from having 
her always slave for him, from doing his full part in making the family 
life pleasant than from shirking it, from open, frank social relations 
and approval than from personal indulgence without that approval, from 
postponing certain present satisfactions for the sake of better ones even 
though they are further away. In a word he can be given a taste and a 
prejudice in favor of those conduct- tendencies and satisfactions which 
will make of him a social, considerate, high-charactered man. He can 
at this early age be given a feeling of disgust for and aversion from 
the grosser forms of selfishness, greed, unfairness, coarseness, and 
dishonor. 

3) It may be asked what all this has to do v/ith sex 
education. In the first place, without these basic general tastes 

and preferences and desires there can be no ground for sound management 
or control of the sex desires when they come to operate; and in the 
second place, all the tastes and impulses which condition in any v;ay 
his attitude toward his mother and sisters, to\/ard his father and 
brothers, and toward the v;hole home situation and its ideal values and 
its practical relations is of the very essence of sex education . These 
are going to influence profoundly his selection of sweethearts and his 
attitude toward them; his notions of. his ovm part and duties as a 
husband and father, and v/hat fulfillment of these will most nearly 
satisfy him; his attitude toward wom^n at large and his behavior toward 
them before and after marriage. 

It is not claimed that these tastes are fully matured in 
this early period, ^•'hat is contended is that the parents can and do 
in the first eight years, largely determine what they are to be later. 

How to The problem in educating the tastes and other emotional 
develop character-tendencies and abilities is gradually to soften 
tastes, the crudeness and selfishness of the "lower'', more primitive 
desires, tastes and v;eaken their hold and to strengthen the appeal 
and satis- of the more social and permanetly adjusting and satisfying 
factions, longings and likes. That this can be done is very apparent 

^ to all who have studied the emotional development of 

children. It is to be done by combining the lower desires 
with those that are higher and more social and thus introducing a 
commrison in the mind of the child. By the simple device of making ther 



145. 

better form m ore rewardin g: to the cliild, xve can invaribly get a certain 
shifting of interest and liking. On the basis of this v;e can gradually 
get a vallingness to postpone the present selfish gratification for the 
more rev/arding future one, and ultimately to su bstitu te partially or 
complete the latter for the former. Our task is to bring the t\70 phases 
of desire and their rewards into contrast and conflict, and then to use 
our insight and superior experience to turn the balance in favor of the 
better desire; always seeing that the child gets more real happiness than 
it would have had from follov/ing the simpler, more direct and more selfish 
impulse. Thus the better impulses may become fixed as a permanent pre- 
ference. Por example, we seek to refine the ma nne r of satisfying hunger, 
curiosity, or desire for possessions; v/e seek to bring a liking for 
orderliness and regularity out of the natural impulse to follow the 
momentary whims; we seek to reduce sloth and desire for ease, by opposing 
to them curiosity and desire for amusement; to reduce jealousy of the 
father's attention to the mother, by an increasing appreciation and I . 
love for the father; to reduce pugnacity, by opposing to it the pleasures 
and practice of social companionship and cooperation; to soften acquisi- 
tiveness by introducing keen pleasures of sharing; v;e seek to substitute 
a desire to help and to save his mother for the wish to have her his 
perpetual slave, by giving him pleasure in his sacrifices; to put a 
premium on the control of primitive and lanrelieved selfish tendencies by 
rewarding the more refined self -being that is association v/ith the-- 
service and welfare of others. 

AH ESAMPLE) To the hungry child the original impulse is to gulp its 
food as rapidly as possible. There is nothing restrained or social in 
the desire, nor in its expression. It is a basic, unrelieved selfish 
process necessary to life itself. Nevertheless any normal child can 
be trained in a fev.- years to eat its meal socially, in company with its 
family, eating more leisurely and rostrainedly and postponing in some 
degree its satisfactions of eating for more social satisfactions. This 
may extend even to share with others its preferred foods and with some 
enthusiasm, out of social motives. To secure this a few things are 
necessary: i) The rewards in association, companionship, Msonversati on, 
chance to gratify curiosity, family recognition and approval, feelings 
of equality and responsibility, and the like must be made real, genuine 
and sufficiently pleagure-gi??:5.ng to pay for the restraint . {Here is 
where the indifferent or domineering parent fails); 2) he must be de- 
prived of these satisfactions, unless he pays the price in behavior a nd 
adjustment , and on the contrary the discomforts of the selfish preference 
and choice must be suffered without any relief when he refuses. (This is 
where the coddling, indulgent parent fails); 3) the connection, and the 
naturalness and reasonableness of the connection, betv/een the social 
manner of gratifying the eating impulses and the enjoyment of the social 
pleasure of the family raeal must be made perfectly clear to the child; 
and 4) any punishment or withdrawal of pleasure for lapses should alsG 
be naturally and reasonably connected with the failure, and not be 
artificial or capricious. 



I 



146. 

What may be As indicated earlier, ideals, attitudes , and purposes . 
sought in are not simple elements, but are compounded of the 
the way of qualities mentioned above. They merely represent an 
ideals and added step in conduct-tendency and in organizing character 
attitudes ? ability. Nevertheless the qualities of personality V7e 

are seeking can be given a slightly different aspect by 

thinking of thera in this more complete form, ,iust before 
they express themselves in donduct . The full discussion of attitude in 
relation to the education of character in sex would rightly include not 
merely the specific sex attitudes but equally many general attitudes which 
bear indirectly upon sex. Those ideals and attitudes in the child which 
far-sighted parents will seek to cultivate, both for their ovm value and 
for their relation to sex controls, v.lll certainly include the follov/ing:- 
1) The total attitude toward the home . This includes for the young child 
chiefly the concrete elements in the home, - the persone, the place, the 
privileges and pleasures, the daily routine and customs, the confidences a 
and admirations, Such terms as respect, appreciation, trust, devotion, 
and obedience and loyalty to parents without any need for servility or 
sense of inferiority; independence, initiative, and self-respect without 
sense of special privilege for the self; sense of mutual responsibility 
and mutual happiness and privilege,.- all express mental attitudes which 
can and ought to be well set in the average child before it is 8 years 
old. Of course we are speaking now of unconscious attitudes in the young 
child; not an understanding of these terms! These attitudes cannot be had 
where parents are either domineering or over-indulgent. They should be 
sought and planned for in the most conscientious and enlightened manner. 

2) A,ttitude toward. his ovm emotional and intellectual, states . 
These can be cultivated in such a wd.y as to call for the indulgence of 
every passing whim or fancy or desire; or even in a young child there can 
be, without losing any of the freshness or spontaneity of childhood, the 
attitude of including the happiness and comfort of the whole group, as he 
seeks to satisfy his impulses. 

3) Attitude toward amusement and use of leisure time . This 
can become an attitude of independence, initiative, self employment of 
powers, or on the other hand, one of dependence for entertainment z.t all 
times on the efforts of others, - and of impatience and discontent when 
left to his own resources. The latter type of attitude is much more 
likely to lead into hurtful relations and into morbid states of mind. 

4) Attitude toward nature and life . Most children are 
interested at first in the things and conditions about them. This atti- 
tude of interest, open-mindedness, and curiosity can be enlarged and made 
permanent and become the means of intellectual self-support and most 
wholesoiae relations between the parent and child, if the parents only use 
the opportunity wisely. Such an attitude furthermore makes a most natural 
and easy way for parents and teachers to introduce the facts and the laws, 
and the interpretations and applications of these, which bear upon the 
health and behavior and happiness of the child. No better background for 
the necessary human sex education can be had than to cultivate this 
interest. Besides, the attitude of intelligent interest in and love for 
nature, non-living and living, is a great escape from morbid states and 
from temptations to sloth or to unwholesome indulgences. It is an asset 
for life. 



147. 

5) Attitude tov/ard the privileges, rights and happiness 
of others; elders, the other sex, eqnals, inferiors . This may he slimmed 
up as an attitude of democratic consideration. It means no personal 
privileges, no exploiting of others for one's orm gain, and mutual service 
in proportion to ability. This spirit and attitude works out in different 
details when expressed toward the different classes of individuals men- 
tioned above; but the gaining, in a genuine and fundamental v;ay, of this 
attitude and ideal is most important in general character and life, and 
bears profoundly on sex and all other social behavior. Ther<=> can be no 
question that it can be determined by the parents in the hoito in early 
years \vhether the average child shall become, a domineering aL.tccrat and 
snob, a social democrat, or a servile parasite in spirit, 

6) Atti^^;U do toward the elementary facts and phenomena of 
sex, revealed in the home . This attitude should be free from embarrass- 
ment or shame, with no acute consciousness that there Is any particular 
difference betv;een the facts of i-eproduction and sex and any others, 
^vithin the family itself. There should be a sufficient and wholesome 
interest about those, as about other natural phenomena; but every effort 
should be made to prevent aggravated or morbid curiosity about them. The 
child should get a general attitude of reticence about all strictly family 
affairs including these, as a substitute for special consciousness and 
shame of sex. All of this can and should be developed in such a way as to 
heighten the attitude of appreciation for the home and its persons and 
functions as suggested in the first paragraph in this section, 

How to The manner of developing attitudes in general has already 
develop been suggested in Chapter 2, part 3. Being a composite- in 
attitudes, character it represents the training of the simpler elements 

that go to make it up. Some further special and practical 

suggestions as to developing certain attitudes are made, by 
way of illustrations, in various. "Pro.iects " in ch. 9. 

"Will" in Many readers v/ill feel that it is a fault to neglect a 
relation to discussion of the education of "^111 " in this connection, 
character Modern psychologists are ceasing to feel that there is 
and sex. some power or force or division of personality, such as 

. t.'as long been described under the term v.'ill, v/hlch in 

defiance of the rest of personality can assert Itself and 
support or overrule all that has gone before of an emotional or intellec- 
tual nature. They rather regard "v/ill" as only the normal outcome in 
choice or decision of the various simpler elements, as impulses, instincts, 
desires, ideas, tastes, purposes, attitudes and the rest. In other v;ords 
what we call will is only ^n attitude of determination to carry into 
effect the desires which for one reason or anoth.-r have become dominant 
in one's conscious or unconscious nature. It is the outcome of real 
desire, conviction and determination. 

The From the context it is clear that the parents themselves 

agencies. must, both by the quality of their home life, their treatment 

: of the child, atd by their v-ords in interpreting all this 

to him, have a large part, in this early character education, 
Therij is no other agency which can furnish the laboratory and demons t ra»- 1 *■ 
tlon. If the home is not sound and wholesome any teaching the child can 
get from any source is merely words, - and v;ords belied in the experience 



146, 

of the child. If the home is rig-ht, the beginner and primary teachers 
of the Sunday school and the kinder^arden teacher can and should do 
much to support and supplement the v;ork of the parents in reference to 
the liahits, tastes, ideals and attitudes mentioned above. There should 
obviously bo the closest understanding and cooperation botv;een the 
parents and those teachers. It is clear from this statement hov; urgent 
it is that society should do t\;o things \7ithout delay: 1) bring every 
possible help and guidance to present parents; and 2) give full in- 
struction to young men and v/omen of mawiagcable age. 



149, 
Chapter 5. The Period of tho Early Sohool Grades . 



The extent This period may be thought of as extending from the 
of the end of the sixth year through the eleventh or tv/clfth, 
period, including school grades 1-6. It vdll be seen that 

the first tv/o years of this period have also been 

included in the preceding period as calling for special 
home treatment. This double handling of these tv:o years has been made 
to emphasize tv/o facts: 1) that the boundaries of these periods are 
not fixed boundaries, so far as any inner development of the child is 
concerned; and 2) that the home and the school should articulate and 
Slosely overlap their v/ork in character education, and should together 
give especial attention, particularly at this time of transition and 
shifting of the child's social and educational relations. 

The This stage of the child's development is usually toio^vn 

personal as the prepubertal period. It is a somev/hat latent period 
and sex in respect to the more strildng developments in the body 
element In or mind of the child. To be sure the sex cells are slowly 
the child, dividing and the internal secretions arc already at woris, 

but the child's body may be said to be merely growing up 

in preparation for the later specific changes at puberty. 
During these years, as a rule, boys are more interested in boys and 
girls in girls, and their mental and recreational interests and tastes 
seem to diverge somev'hat, though there are many exceptions and much of 
this seeming difference may be due to social education, 

Kie social The home influence continues very profoundly in this 
elements in period,, either for the child's upbuilding in the character 
this period, that underlies sound sex life or in marring and rais- 

directing the life of the child. If the home is and has 

been all it should be, it v/ill not be difficult to continue 
its influence into this period; if it has failed, this v/ill be a sad and 
trying time for all concerned. Throu;ch his acquaintance v/ith other 
children, the child v.lll bring his ov.-n home and its training into com- 
parison v/ith v/hat he sees in other homes. Children are hard critics; but 
on the whole they she-./ a good deal of insight in reaching their con- 
clusions as to whether these homes are satisfying: and co nvincimT for 
children .- v/hich after all is the true measure of tho efficiency of a 
home , 

The change from the home to school is also of the greatest 
social importance to the child in respect to incentives leading to 
character. The new contacts with children of similar ages, of both 
sexes, and of every social and temperamental quality, at once put to 
the test all the ideas, habits, tastes, ideals, and attitudes partially 
set in the former period. They will either be strengthened and extended 
during these years, or they will be greatly modified and diverted. 



150. 

The Next to the first six years in the home, this period of 

educational six years is the raost important in determining the 
aspects of character-tendencies and abilities of children. Purther- 
this period, more, if mistakes or omissions have been made in the 

first period, this is the most favorable time that will 

ever occur to correct these. This then is the first 
educational task of the period: for teachers (school and religious) and 
parents together to undertake to determine v/hat the present character of 
the child is, in respect to sex and to other fields in v;hich character 
counts (recalling that character includes among other things, habits . 
information and intelligence, desires and tastes, and attitudes and 
purposes), and then to build consciously and intelligently on this 
foundation, or to correct it if need be. Parents should welcome, rather 
than resent, the nev/ loyalties of the child to its teachers, as well 
as the semi-expert help which the teacher may bring in respect to the 
v/ork of the parents for the child. Certainly the education of character 
nov;, with the increasing intellectual and social interests of the child 
and the greater occasions for wrong and hurtful impressions and behavior, 
should bring a conscious cooperation and partnership among its various 
friends. 

These "friends'* should include not merely the parents and 
teachers, but everyone who has anything to do with the child,- as older 
brothers and sisters, favorite uncles and aunts, all the junior clubs 
v/hich work with children of this age, and any of the child's "heroes" 
who have contact with him. 

The work of these various people is not so much to discuss 
the facts of sex with the boy or girl, nor to preach in the usual adult 
manner; but rather gradually to enrich the stock of knov/ledge, and to 
refine appreciations and tastes, interests, ideals and attitudes, and to 
fix more firmly right habits of thinking and behavior,- all through 
informal companionship and example and an effective revealing of their 
o^.7n personal attttude to\7ard life. The "Big Brother" and "Big Sister" 
idea is perfectly sound and represents, more nearly than anything one 
can say, the continuous, personal, gradual v/ay in v/hich this somev;hat 
latent sex period can be used to build up its foundations for sex 
character. 

Summary of What educative assets and materials of a sexual bearing, 
the chief whether facts, situation^ , internal tendencies, or mental 
types of interests can we use effectively during this period? 
phenomena As suggested above the average child, if properly guided 
to be made for the first six or eight years, does not need a great 
use of in deal of nev/ instruction bearing directly on sex during 
this the period. Bbr such the/«^orlc Is chiefly to keep alive the 
period. earlier habits, understandings, likes and dislikes, and 

attitudes; and to reinforce and enlarge their scope by 

seeing that the home confidences, relations, happiness, 
loyalties, and mutual responsibilities are kept up to date . This means 
that a child of eleven, in order to be satisfied with his home, ought to 
get rather different things from it and do different services for it 
from v/hat is suitable at five. On the other hand for children v/hose 
homes have not been fortunate and v/hose parents have left the early 
sex instruction to the street, or have for any reasnn failed to get the 
character resxilts suggested in the last chapter, there is the difficult 



151, 

task of overcoming the vulgar impressions, of patching up the positive 
earlier education and of carrjang it on suitably into this second 
period* 2)his again requires the combined devotion and v/isdom of every- 
body concerned. 

The following classes of educational effort and care are 
suggested as elements in the somewhat indirect sex education at this 

period? 

1) The general care and a sound guidance necessary for 
normal health, growth, occupation, companionship, etc, and for sound 
ideas v/ith regard to these, 

2) The f acts relating to his orm personal health and 
development which most appeal to him at present, 

3) IJpre , extended facts , than could be given in the' earlier 
period, about the nature, development, and reproduction of living things, 
as introductory to special sex instruction about himself to be given in 
the next pe riod, 

4) The full utiljgation of the child* s curiosity , his 
energy, and the general experimental "trial and error'* attitude of 
learning which most children of this age have. The child should be 
encouraged to experiment; but it should not be v/holly at random, 

5) The use of the play . impulses and of the disposition to 
prefer memfeei'a of the same sex, 

6) The beginnings of aspirations and ideals for own life,- 
v/hioh take their color largely from the child *s heroes among living 
acquaintances or from literature, 

7) The elementary facts , about social relatj^ons outside the 
home , the relation of the home to the rest of society, the bearing of 
individual spirit and behavior on the society of which v/e are a part. 

General Ov/ing to the two-fold fact that the child's environment 
care and and opportunities are so rapidly enlarging at this time 
guidance. as to outrun his experience and Icnowledge, and that he 

.^ is normally a bundle of energy and curiosity, there is 

particular need of suitable care and ;^aiidance at many 
points, ii good deal of the wreckage of human life among boys has come 
from the fact that many parents feel that a boy can be left just to 
"grow up" during these years. Girls on the other hand are often cared 
for too much, or without discrimination. Both should have abundant 
nourishing food, and be induced to eat it properly; abundant and in- 
teresting play, supervised in a broad educational spirit; sufficient 
companionships, both attractive and wholesome; sports and hobbies, 
somewhat directed, adequate for all leisure tine; some very definite 
duties and responsibilities, associated directly, when performed, with 
equally definite social provi leges and recotjnition; intimate friendship 
with a few fine adults, in addition to the parents, who vv-ill furnish 
them wise and attractive patterns of taste and behavior. 






i -t'-syl.f. r ::'..,;.; 



X52, 

^Vhat should This is a rich period of habit formation through the 
be sought method of finding satisfying conduct by trial and error, 
in the way The early home habits \7ill be retested, and if they are 
of personal good it is the task of the adults to convince the child 
habits. that they are to be continued, modified to suit the boy 

and girl level of , interest and capacity , and strengthened 

and extended at that level, Ilany mothers, particularly, 
make the serious mistake of trying to retain them on the "baby" plane, 
Ilore and more the home relations should tend toward equality .- and 
habits of franlc open confidence, good times, and partnership with the 
older members of the family in the mutual enterprises should be built 
up on this democratic plane. The child should not alv/ays be given, 
for example, the routine or disagreeable or trivial tasks, nor be shut 
out from the rewards that go to the elders. On the other hand he 
should not be coddled and protected from taxing duties nor from the 
results of his mistakes. The child should, by suitable encouragement, 
form the beginnings of habits of success in performing his part of the 
mutual tasks; habits of coming out of his failures; habits of health 
and fitness; habits of reading and enjoying vigorous things v.-hich are 
adapted to its ovm sex and age; habits of loyalty of the best type to 
playmates and the "gang"; habits of courteous behavior to elders and 
to women; habits of assuming some responsibility for the pleasure and 
comfort of others, as members of the home, guests in the home, or 
people seen to be in need of help anywhere; the habit of finding 
personal pleasure in these and other similar things. These things, ' 
summed up, pretty nearly mean that he should have a good start toward 
the habits of a gentleman , with no sense of class snobbery in the term* 

Of course it is not meant that these results in the 
character of children should be pushed too furiously or far; but their : 
v/hole life v/ill be made more happy and valuable if they can even thus 
early in life have some slight glimpse into, and some appreciation for, 
the serious tasks of the parents as they work out for the whole family 
the problems of living and home inaking, as well as into the pleasures 
of the task. 

V/toit should There are four classes of facts which should be specially 
be imparted emphsized during this period, both because they are usually 
in the way of great general inter^jst to the boy and girl and because, 
of informa- more than almost anything we can say, they ^/ill serve as 
tion? a foundation for the particular sex instruction that should 

, come to them from time to time later. Llost of it seems 

only indirectly related to sex and character, but none the 
less it is of remarkable value as a scientific introduction to sound - 
understanding of life. 

!♦ This is the period during which a knowledge, coupled 
with proper guidance in conduct and habit formation, of the wonder of 
his own body,- its growth, development, functions and health should be 
impressed. It is not enough, as is so often done in the schools, to 
give these facts in a cold and rautine v/ay. They must be so given as 
to bring out both wonder and appreciation on one hand, and the desire 
and habit of making the most of it in conduct on the other. In other 
words something of both the esthetic and the practi cal should always go 
along with the elementary scientific knowledge of his own bodily struc- 
ttires and powers, ^his is largely the task of the schools; but i* 



153, 

needs to be done as few schools now do it. Some practical suggestions 
will be made under "Project" 4. 

2, Both bo.ys and girls should have, during these years, 
a progressive Icnowledge of the facts of life among plants and animals. 
As the parents should be prepared to give the simple illustrations 
from nature, called for tn the earlier period, so now the teachers of 
grades four to six, inclusive, ought to be able to continue this 
elementary "nature study" in a way to furnish foundations of under- 
standing of the great processes of reproduction and adaptation in 
nature. Here again the esthetic and poetic or appreciative elements 
should enter into the manner of instruction. A mere Coaching of 
children in the • . facts of nature may be so dull as to deaden all 
further curiosity and inspire no v/holesome human tastes or attitudes. 
It does not make us humin to understand animals. These studies of 
living things in nature, besides the mere facts, should lead him to 
xmderstand something of the laws of cause and effect and of the pena,ltiea 
for wrong conduct in nature; to know the value of health of body to 
happiness and something of the conditions of having and keeping it (all 

of this should bo connected very practically v/ith his own personal habits); 
to study reproduction as it is seen in the plants and animals that he 
knov/s; to trace the v/ays in which different parents care for their young; 
to discover v,-hat traces of homes and of family life he can find; to 
compare these with the human family life fend eoB *rhat jisak^g thS' difference; 
and to decide ^7hcthe^ the human fT,raily is v/orth the trouble, 

3, During this period both boys and girls cometo look 
forward and to have aspirations and to form rather definite ideas of 
what they v;ant to be when they arc "big". Of course these aspirations 
are sure to change later, from time to time; but it is alv/ays im- 
portant to use them, while they are warm, for purposes of education, 
and for the most part these youthful ambitions are, also, quite as 
sure to hold some fairly permanent elements, Ther^ are, for example, 
elements of manliness in every boy's ambitions. Due to factors 

which are partly a matter of natural sex differences and partly of 
social education, each boy has a desire to grow up into some 
particularly manly type as he has seen and admired,- whether stable- 
boy or storekeeper; and a girl desires to bo like some woman of whom 
she knows. Probably owing to our artificial restraints upon girls 
in times past, more of them wish they might be hoys and might grow 
up into men than there are boys who want to be girls. This complicates 
the education of girls. 

In any event this aspiration of each to complete a manly 
or womanly development is one of the ideas of most dynamic and practical 
value to children of this and the next period. This group of ideas is 
of course almost wholly a matter of sex; and one of the most valuable 
pieces of sex instructions that can come to boys is the knowledge of 
what really constitutes manliness , and in what ways it may become 
shoddy and counterfeit. Similarly the Imowledge of what makes womanli - 
ness in a woman is a most profound factor in the sex-consciousness of the 
girl. In both cases our educational problem is to help develop the 
aspiration, to make the goal very attractive and convincing, to point 
out the road by which it may be reached, and from time to time add new^ 
meanings to manliness and womanliness . For details of method see 
Proj)ects 13, 



I 



154'* 

4, Probably there is nc more vital group of facts for 
children of the fourth to sixth f?rade in schools, nor one so poorly- 
handled by the schools at present, as the social facts vhich would 
help children to understand and adjust themselves to the human life 
about them, ^^hc most urgent reform needed in the present curriculum 
is the reorganization of the near-social studies such as geography, 
history, civics, and the like; consolidating them into a vital unity; 
omitting the large amount of formal and v;orthless material; intro- 
ducing the vital elements that help the individual to understand and 
judge the present civilization without partisanship or partiality; 
presenting the v/hole in such a \7ay as to throv/ light on the real 
causes and effects, the institutions, the relations, the adjustments 
the children must make if they are to profit by society and to help 
society; and most important of all farai«hing in the educational, 
social, recreational aspects of the school a satisfactory laboratory 
and cSlinic of life which -will give the social studies a place in 
conduct, relations and character. It is not academic knov;ledge rje 
seek at this point, 

Y/hat may This peiriod should continue to perfect and extend the 
be secured desires and tastes, likes and aversions suggested in the 
in the way former period. The larger the range of v.'hplesome in - 
of tastes, teregts , from v/hich children get their satisfactions . 
desires, etc? the better for the sex life . Both boys and girls should 
be trained to take pleasure in all kinds of clean ex- 
pressions of energy and interest,- sports and games, 
adventure, discovery, hobbies, experiments, collecting, and creative 
efforts; to have satisfaction in suitable companionship with others 
of their own sex, where there is mutual give and take, and a disgust 
for companionships that are degrading and for companions v/ho are 
merely selfish; to have admiration for strong and sound types of 
older boys and girls and men and women, both those of their personal 
acquaintance and those met in reading; a liking for vivid and ad- 
venturous reading matter; a curiosity and wonder about nature and a 
love and appreciation for it; satisfaction in his omi growth and 
development in body, mind, and social effectiveness at home school 
as measured by tests or by the appreciation of others; a grov/ing sense 
of the value of his ov,-n inner disposition and abilities in giving him 
happiness, because he v;ill always have to live with himself : a liking 
for and satisfaction in seeing comfort and progress and pleasure in 
others, and a taste for gaining a part of his ov/n happiness by taking 
pains to advance the interests of others. 

Hov/ these In steering boys and girls into suitable and social tastes 
apprecia- and desires, v/e must use the natural impulses which they 
tions and possess, appealin;? particularly to their love of approval 
tastes can and sympatt^^thellr tendency to imitate those they admire 
be secured, or love, their spirit of docility and conformity (which 

of course has its opposite, if our approach is not 

sound), their craving for entertainment, excitement, 
variety in anticipation and satisfactions, their passion for activity 
and expression. If v/e are tactful and not autocratic in our methods, 
vi'e can bring most normal children into almost any kind of appreciations, 
tastes, interests and satisfactions that we may choose,- even the 
satisfaction of sacrifice. Through companionship, conversation example, 



•V l: • ■'■ , 



155, 

family customs, being read to and guided reading, good associates of 
their ovm age, general community opinion and practice, and other 
similar quiet influences, practically any set of lilces and dislikes, 
tastes, interests or aversions which the parents may desire can be 
developed and fixed in children of thisijtge.It is by just such influences 
that a child becomes a Presbyterian, a liberal, a lav/yer , a democrat, - 
or any of the alternatives of these. These facts of course may be 
disastrous as well as beneficent; and this power of the adult should 
be used v/ith the utmost respect for the child's personality, 

V/hat may The reader will recall that v/e get attitudes in other 
be gained people by continued influence and pressure from these 
in ideals, in v/hom they have confidence, and as a by-product of 
attitudes, experience which brings satisfaction, V."hen these two 
and elements combine we have our surest chance to mold the 
purposes? the ideals and attitudes of children. Youthful attitudes 

at this age are, as we have seen, highly self-centered. 

Vo ehould not expect anything else; but should seek 
gradually to tincture these attitudes v/ith the grovving tastes for 
companionship, desire for social approval, inner standards of manliness 
and unselfishness. Specifically, the attitudes of this age which 
bear directly upon sex may be included under the attitude of true 
manliness , or v/omanliness . This of course is a full task for the 
whole of childhood and youth; but even the child must in these early 
years feel the tug of this ideal. It is worth repeating that manly 
and womanly are purely sex terms, whether we are thinking of bodily, 
mental, or social qualities; and in seeking to educate children along 
the road of their sex perfection v/e should strive to get manly and 
v;o manly attitudes toward all these qualities. It is a mistake to let 
manliness mean, in practice, merely bodily strength or mental vigor 
or social graces. The ideal in these words must be not merely;" of the 
true type, but complete as v;ell. 

The attitude of manliness should include for the boy 
the best development of body which he can get, .and equally the most 
considerate use of it; a fully developed masculine mind and temperament 
in equally manly control; and a complete male outlook on social life 
and relations, coupled with .. gentleman's respect for the rights and 
happiness of others, I.lanliness includes therefore self-control, 
integrity, fairness, generosity, honor, loyalty, chivalry,- as v.-ell as 
strength and courcige and energy. This attitude of the boy must not be 
merely for the future when he becomes a man, but must apply to his 
present actual boyish interests and activities. This means that he 
shall have it in his present games and hobbies and in his daily growth 
thereby; in his development of all round efficiency; in his responsi- 
bility to his ovm ch-uras; in his loyalty and consideration for his 
mother and sisters; in his cooperation in his ovm home; in his "gang", 
and in his school; in his respect and courtesy for women. And 
similarly, v/oraanliness for the young girl should be an attitude for 
present use. V/omanliness is not a matter of age, but of underctanding 
and devotion. See, also. Projects 13 & 14 in chapter 9. 



156. 

Chapter 6* The Time of Pul)ertv and of the Junior High School . 

The* period This is a short period, r;hich from the point of viev/ of 
defined. school advancement includes the grades seven, eight and 

_^ nine; and in personal development includes, on the 

average, the years 11 or 12 to 14 or 15. This develop- 
ment varies with sex, race, climate, and individuals. Girls reach 
puberty one or tv;o years ahead of boys; members of the southern races 
earlier than those of northern. The grovmds for separating this from 
the preceding period in our discussion are at least two-fold; first , 
profound and rather rapid changes are taking place in the internal sex 
glands ( ovaries and testes ) . which produce corresponding changes in 
the bodies and minds of children and usher in youth ( adolescence ) ; 
ftad second^ there is an increasing tendency in both secular and re- 
ligious education to differentiate the 7th~9th school grades both from 
those that precede and from those that follov;. 

The con- The parent and teacher must not get the impi*egsioh, from 
tinuation this effort to mark off some of the changing points in 
of former the life of the child, that there is to be at any point 
emphasis a complete changfe of emphasis and method. It is perfectly 
and true that the child does change profoundly, and that 
methods. influehCes rhich are very pov/orful at some periods will 

have little or no value later; and yet all tUe great 

factors in character which have been mentioned in earlier 
chapters must be continually cultivated. Nothing in the way of habits . 
knowledge , tastes , and attttudes that have been stressed heretofore can 
be omitted. All these must be continued, extended, and intensified in 
the new period. It is rather the mode of approach that must change. 
It is greatly important that the methods and emphasis and agencies used 
shall keep pace with the child's emotional, intellectual and social 
development, - all of which are closely tied up with the sex development. 
It is quite fatal to approach a 14 year old boy on a 10 year basis, even 
when \ie are seeking exactly the same results in character. It is likely 
to do much more harm than good. A separate chapter is given to this 
short period, therefore, both because the child's personality is now at 
a critical stage, and there are a few important nevf factors and projects 
that must be included in our plans and adapted to the changes in the 
boy and girl, 

JJie sex Sexually this is the most active and revolutionary period 
movouients since the early influence of the sex cells in the prenatal 
at puberty. period. The sex cells, vh ich during early childhood have 

„. been resting, or very quietly multiplying, and whose 

accompanying secretions have been mingling with the other 
internal secretions to produce the balanced vegetative growth of child- 
hood, now begin to mature and to specialize in the functional egg and 
sperm cells v/hich it is their inherited right to do. Furthermore, the 
accretions v;hich accompany this maturing process in the sex cells come 
to stimulate specialized male and female sex developments in the body 
also. For example, the uterus, the breasts, the pelvic bones and the 
hips of girls now begin to grov; actively and to talK their mature womanly 
form. Parallel, but less striking differentiating bodily development 
takes place in the boy. In both sexes the reproductive organs grov- and 
mature, and all the final special sex differences between adult man and 



157. 

woman begin to be evident. These are both physical and mentali In boys 
the voice changes to its heavier, manlike quality, erections v;ill occur 
more frequently and be associated v.'ith more definite sexual cravings, and 
^S!iinal emissions may occur. In girls the ovaries produce ripe ova and 
this is accompanied by internal secretions ^vhich stimulate changes in 
the inner surface of the uterus that lead to the escape of blood. This 
cycle of changes occurs monthly, and is Imov-'n as menstruation . The bio- 
logical meaning of puberty is that the boy may become a father and the 
girl a mother, though neither can yet be considered mature in any other 
respect than in the production and ripening of these fimdamental sex cell s , 
They are not even sexually mature so far as t.-^eir secondary bodily and 
mental characteristics are concerned, although they are sexually potent . 
The next period, adolescence , is the period of full gradual maturing into 
manhood and v/omanhood. 

Stimulated by these critical bodily changes and by the 
internal secretions fromed at this tine, both sexes undergo profound 
emotional changes, vlth more or less acute sex consciousness. These \7ill 
take v/holesome and constructive or perverse and unv/holesome turn, depending 
upon inheritance and even more on their s^^rroundings and training befb re 
and during puberty. Ilany boys and girls at this time will begin to seek 
the society of the other sex, though possibly somev.-hat secretly and dif- 
fidently. In others this love movement may "lag"-* behind the bodily 
development, either because of diffidence or beaause of some hangover of 
the homosexual or "gang" impulses; and such children may not be greatly 
attracted to the other sex for another year or more. In a vord, the sex 
changes at puberty mark an active transition from the gradijal and general 
individual gravth and adjustments of childhood to the more specialized, 
more turbulent, but gradual sex-social development and adjustments of 
adolescence. There is no period in life raoro important than this for 
character education. 

The Under the older school schedules this period includes the 

educational last tv.'o of the pre-high school grades and the first year 
conditions. of the high school. The more modern division of the 

school years into six lower grades, three junior high 

school, and three senior high school years has not merely 
good general educational and vocational justification, it also hits, 
as nearly as any school schedule can, this pubertal period, v;ith the 
junior high school. It thus makes possible a fuller and less artificial 
participation by the schools themselves in the special character educa- 
tion which makes use of the sex and social factors. The junior high 
school brings about soirer/hat gradually a transition from the grade 
teacher to the departmental teacher. It also makes possible more 
demonstration and laboratory ^7o^k, more segregation of the boys and girls, 
if need be into sections for particular emphasis. There is a chance to 
make a better educative use of certain simple sex and reproductive 
elements - in both the life sciences and the social studies, Ihe most 
modern grading of religious schools also folloivs the same division. 

It has been recognized for some time by educators interested 
in the matter that the high school period is too late to get best results 
from some of the sex educational v/ork that has been undertaken in the high 
schools. For effective results in conduct and character, sex education 
must al\yays come just before it is needed . We cannot safely v/ait until 



156. 

the high school period to give the instruction, that must somehow be 
assimilated into ideals, attitude and purpose, by \7hich the child must 
guide the very active, complex, and difficult sex impulses and relations 
of the high school tine. The educational work of tlie junior high school 
period is prophylactic in nature , in inimediate preparation for adolescence . 
It should be used intelligently, and somewhat intensively, in this 
spirit. 

Nev; elements This period of childhood is usually felt by most parents 
in the home to be a pretty trying time, particularly perhaps in the 
problems. rearing of boys. They are extraordinarily full of energy 

and of devices for expressing it. They tend to be fickle 

and changeable in their interests and purposes, and thus 
appear unreliable. They may be moody and temperamental if they are of 
the nervous type. The companions of their ovm sex, whom they pick up 
and bring home, are inconvenient to the verge of being disagreeable, 
Tliey are likely to be interested in their gang games and enterprises more 
than in formal education and the refinements of home and social life. 
Because of these things it is, in the first place, a period for patience, 
sympathy, and real efforts at understanding on the part of other members 
of the family, - though these should not be thrust too obviously at the 
boy or girl. Special efforts should be made to have the home attractive 
and satisfying to the child and his friends, at their ovn level rather than 
from the parent's point of view. This is sure to be hard; but it is 
essential if the home is to hold its past gains and continue to grow in 
appreciation and in influence as it should. The father, the uncle, or 
the older brother can still be the boy's hero; and these, because of this 
worship, can do much in their friSTidly conversation to give vital knowledge, 
and through example and imitation to develop and fix tastes, attitudes, 
and habits in the child. Of course if these older men of the family do 
not care enough for the boy to get these close contacts with him, mere 
talk and preaching from above are scarcely worth the trouble. 

At this time there are sure to be conflicts between the 
"gang" standards and loyalties of the boys and girls, on one hand, and 
those of the home on the other. These probably cannot be entirely re- 
conciled; certainly the gang impulses and standards cannot be crushed. 
Tliey must be used for development. They are not permanent; they are a 
phase of growth. The child is very likely at this time to question the 
positions, statem.ents and demands of the parents. It is tran,endously 
important that ho should come out of these little conflicts (the parent 
must regard them as little ) with a feeling that his parents are fair, 
just, and loving - the best parents he knov7s any^vhcr^, and that his home 
gives him some of the best and happiest times he has. This is more 
important than that he should be driven by force into what we parents 
foolishly call "obedience". On the other hand this does not at all 
mean that the child is to be humored and petted and given his ovm v/ay 
always. Constructive respect for parents does not lie aD.ong that road 
either. It means merely that he should be treated with respect, and 
guided in justice and in full consideration for his personality and his 
loyalties, - which are just as dear and important to him as those of 
older people are to them. These issues do not have to be solved on the 
spot . They can bo left op e n questio ns. There is much more growth for 
everybody in a question left consciously open than in one settled in an 
unsatisfying way. With this sort of a background in general education 
in character and confidence, any intelligent family can do for its boys 
and girls what this period demands of it in the way of sex education 



159. 

There is another thing. The ''gang" psychology of 
loyalty itself may be used. It is frequently possible to \7in a v/hole 
gang, or its leaders, in such a vay (i do not mean .superficially and 
by claptrap, but by a real statement of an issue and its interpreta- 
tions) as to change the v7hole spirit of the group. This may often be 
done more readily than to change one boy, vith the group ideas un- 
changed. See projects 19 and 20 chapter 9. 

Summary of Most of the facts and phenomena to be used for sex 

the types education during this period are continuations of 

of raateri- those outlined in the last chapter, 

ala and op- Host of these, hovvever, call for a new or a more 

portunities extended use and for a closer application to human 

for sex conditions and relations. For example,- . . 

education. 

^ 1. The nature study of this time should include a study 

of the general sex differences and fimctions in plants and 
lov.-er animals, as a background for better understanding of the condi- 
tions in human beings and in the child himself. This is the v;orlc of 
the schools. 

2. The teaching v.-ith regard to his o\-^ health and develop- 
ment should nov; include, closely related to the rest, the main facts of 
his inner sex development at this period and the relation of this to the 
growth of his body, mind, desires, and ambitions. This may include 
something of the early abuses of sex. This instruction may be given in 
a general -.ray in the school in connection with physiology, hygiene, and 
in the special lessons and exercises in physical training. The more 
intimate parts of it may best be given by that person of the same sex 
who has the fullest confidence and admiration of the child,- whether 

in hiB own family or not. See project 10 , chapter 9, in reference to 
effective use of the facts of his sex development. 

3. The very changeableness, uncertainty, and av/io-ardness, 
and the variety of his interests during puberty should be made use of 

in a positive way to enlarge his contacts and abilities and understanding. 
He should learn to like more kinds of games, more kinds of reading, new 
amusements, nev/ hobbies and general interests. This personal enlargement 
of likings is the task of everybody and every agency that naturally 
serves the child; and his restlessness and fickleness furnishes the 
opportunity, 

4. Still, more than ever, it is possible and necessary to 
appeal to manliness and womanliness , and to have the child read into 
these ideas, not impossible future things but the best that naturally 
belongs to them at the time and just ahead . It can include now more 
than in the last period, for the children are actually embarlung at 
puberty on this very enterprise of being men and v/omen, *7hile these 
ideas cannot yet be ma.de complete , they must never be allowed to be 
coarse and shoddy. Such expressions as a "he-man" or a "red-blooded 
man", and the like, have carried rather cheap implications for boys in 
recent years. This is the task of everybody having to do -vith the 
child. 



160, 

5. Tlie social studies of the junior high school grades 
should cont:.iin gradually more of the material v/hich \/ill raal^e clear to 
them v'hat the social spirit and method is, and v/hy it must he so; how 
hxman beings must approach the problem of living together democratically 
in homes, schools, gangs, communities, industries, etc* They should see 
why special privilege and exploitation of weak by the strong must go, 

if society is to endure; and all their relations should give them 
practice in this spirit and method. This has its bearings on the reet 
la t ions of boys and girls and men and women, just as between men. This 
is the work of homes, schools, Sunday schools, clubs, etc. 

6. Further emphasis should be put upon the literature 
wui table for the age, I do not mean the literature which usually goes 
under the name of "sex literature", yet much of it is distinctly of a 
sex quality, in that it distinguishes the needs and interests of boys 
from those of girls or deals v/ith the relations of boys and girls. This 
necessary literature includes adventure, discovery, naliure stories, in- 
vention, fine biographies from life or fiction, simple love stories in- 
volving manliness, honor and consideration, and chivalry for boys, and 
corresponding attitudes for girls. These should be sincere, reasonable, 
and possible even when holding up the highest suitable ideals; but 

not sleppy. The home, the schools, Sunday schools, clubs, and public 
libraries should cooperate in this. 

7. Very definite use should be made of the various special 
clubs and organizations for boys and for girls, which emphasize sports, 
hobbies, investit:;ation, reading, dramatics, music, mere companionship, 
or anything which appeals to children of this age. Time has come for 
full use of the psychology of the group as an aid to the individual. 
Because of these bonds within the "set" it is important to raise, on a 
firm and reasonable basis, the group standard of honor , fairness . cleanness , 
and the like. Toward the close of the period mixed groups of boys and 
girls of friendly families can be brought together in the home or church 
or school or block around some worth-while mutual interest, and be used 
definitely (if it is done tactfully) to secure sound attitudes of the 
individuals toward the other sex, and toward the practice, as well as the 
ideals, of manliness and womanliness, The suitable mingling of the sexes 
in something both are interested in can be made improving to both and 
introductory to the next period. This can be too artificial or too 
frequent for improvement. 

^Vhat new The most important new knowledge v;hich the child should 

needs of get about himself during this period is: 

the period 

in the way F irst , about the series of changes that are taking place 

of facts within, as the boy or girl passes into youth,- given on 

and ideas? the back£:;round of the mature study, the physiology, and 

the hygiene of the school. This special knowledge should 

be made both general as to human beings and personal as 
to the particular child. The general part may be included with the 
school topics mentioned above, The personal part should come from older 
members of the family, if they are fitted to do it, or from an older 
friend who has some intimate and friendly relation to the child. It 
might be a "Big Brother" {or Sister), the family physician (if he has a 



161. 

'.^ . 
teaching spirit), a scout master, a physical director, or a teacher 

(in an individual capacity}. InclncVjd here are the facts about the 

intimate relations of the sex cells to the rest of the body; the 

internal secretions from the sex glands and other organs; the specific 

effects of these upon the development of various parts of the body in 

animals and man, as shown by castration and grafting; their effects upon 

the. development of intellectual, emotional, temperamental and social 

qualities, and upon vigor, energy, ambition and manliness. See project 17. 



Second , the facts and interpretation step by step of the 
normal sex manifestations nov; taking plase, or .just ahead,- as (in the 
boy), erections, erotic dremas, sexual desires, seminal emissions and 
the mental states that accompany these and the meaning of them all; men- 
struation, its nature, and its meaning to the girl, together with the 
mental states involved and the personal care v/hich is necessary because 
of the function* 

Thir d, the fact of masturbation, and reasonable cautions 
against experimenting with the organs, against accidents to them, and 
against over-stimulation and masturbation. All this should be done 
without untrue or over-emphasis, and without threats. 

Hew . We rxeedi to say little in addition to what was said in the 
elements last chapter in respect to emotions and feelings, except that 
in ideals. every effort must be made, and wisely, d-oj'ing this critical 
attitudes, period to continue and to strengthen the tastes, desires, 
and motives, ideals, and attitudes suggested for the preceding 
purposes, age. Special methods of doing this must be used appropriate 

to the greater development of the children; but the problem-.; 

are much the same as before. They still center about tbe 
desire to become men and women, and the need of giving them grov/ing con- 
ceptions and liking for the best in manhood and xvomanhood. They must be 
induced to apply these ideals now to all their present interests and 
activities. Consequently the ideal and attitude must not be stilted and 
theoretical; but possible and timely, constant and progressive. 

Two new observations must be added: 

1, It is very desirable that the boy or girl shall not be 
allowed to think of sex and its phenomena and problems as "funny", 
frivolous, comic, and the fit subject for vulgar jokes; but rather as 
a matter for -understanding and respect, and even for wonder and reverence. 
The fine and wholesome facts back of their own life are so ahaiidamt and 
so near to them that we can give them this attitude, if all along we get 
to form the first impressions of the child about the different phases of 
the subject. If the street gets in its interpretations first we can 
scarcely hope to correct them wholly. There is no question that 
education can determine entirely the emotional attitude of young people 
toward smutty and vulgar sex jokes. 



162* 

2. This is the earliest period at v;hich ve can expect any 
considerable percentage of the boys and girls to be old enough to have 
the beginning of the attitude of looking ahead toward their ma-ture sex 
lives in terras of parenthood 'ind home making. I do not mean this in tfie 
sense in which it is true of young men and young women of twenty years. 
But the present sex changes are making the child ready for just these 
things, and mental development and understanding in many children outrun 
the sex development of the time. -cSecause of this, because of their ex- 
periences in their ovm homes, and by the power of imagination, we can 
get them to begin to think of themselves in these future terms in some 
slight degree. The revelation of the facts of the pubertal changes 
ought never to be made, therefore, without giving the child some dawning 
sense of the further personal and social values v;hich come to it from 
wise guidance and use of the qualities now coming on» In this v;ay the 
child may come early to adopt certain purposes for the future. Naturally 
this idea will be much moi'e fully used in later petiods of youth; but the 
child v/ill go into the high school or to work uheiiuipped to meet the 
situation unless he has some conception of this future as it relates to 
him personally. 

The out- iieference has been made from time to time to the instrumen*- 
v;ard alities v;hich can best do certain parts of this task of 
shifting character education. The reader will have noticed that, 
of sihce the beginning in the home, there has been a rapid • 

agencies, shifting of responsibility to outer, more specialized 

agencies. Much of the work of this and later periods the 

average home has no ability to do. It becomes very largely 
a community task by the time the child reaches the age of the junior high 
school. The home continues vital, for good or bad, in the realm of habits, 
tastes, and attitudes; but the schools must be depended on for much of the 
scientific knowledge. The cnurch, the Sunday school, friends, clubs, 
physical directors, social workers, literature, and every supplementary 
agency which influences the lives of boys and girls must be called upon 
to add certain elements of conviction, interpretation, and inspiration. 

It is important furthermore that these various influences 
v.'hen doing their work shall not be merely sporadic and independent. They 
must be coordinated and united. If we regard the problem of the period as 
merely one of atmosphere and influence, and leave it to the family; or 
merely as one of piety and supernatural guidance, and leave it to religious 
agencies; or one of facts and inf oririation.and leave it to the schools and 
physicians, we shall signally fail to get the character which will meet 
the severe problems of adolescence. Character can come only by fusing 
all these elements in one conscious training. 



163, 



Chattel* 7, The Post*Pubertal Period of Af^o lesr^Pncg?. 



The extent The period of "adolescence" is defined "by various 
of the writers with no very close unifornity. In this dis- 
period. cussion the tem is used to denote the v;hole period of 

growing and maturing which follows the sexual crisis 

at puterty. It may be regarded as extending into early 
manhood and womanhood. It is the period of youth, and must remain 
always somewhat indefinite because both boundaries are moveable. 
Roughly it applies to the years from about 14 to 15 into the early 
twenties. NormallJ^ it should terminate in marriage. 

The The phenomena of adolescence begin in puberty. Of course 
personal the pubertal period is really an early period of adoles- 
and sexual cence. There ■xre\ however, definite advantages in the 
character terms chosen here, for the distinctive mark of the earlier 
of the period is the pubertal activity, while the definite feature 
period. of this period is just v/hat the name indicates,- the 

gradual process of becoming adult. The physical sex 

happenings of puberty are of a critical and fairly r^id 
sort. They are in turn the foundation of the equally critical, but more 
slov/ly unfolding mental, emotional and social developments which follow 
in adolescence. Physically the changes of this period are like those of 
childhood,- more gradual and continuous. This grov/th, as well as the 
physical changes that accompany it, are energized by the internal secre- 
tions,- particularly those of the sex organs,- ovaries and testes. 

Prom the sexual point of view the most important character- 
istic of the adolescent period is the tjirning of the consciousness and 
attractions and desires of the boy and girl each away from his own to the 
other sex. This sexual revolution is the normal outcome of the internal 
secretions v;hich brought on the bodily changes of puberty, and means as 
much in future sex-social life as puberty means in personal development. 
It is important to remember that these attractive differences between 
youths and maidens, which are brought on by the internal secretions are 
not physical merely. Broadly they produce the vigor, courage, aggressive- 
ness, excitability, chivalry and manliness of the male; and the modesty, 
coyness, caution, conservativeness, patience, stability, and devotion of 
the female. It is not intended to imply that these differences are 
exclusive or universal. They are merely tendencies on the part of the 
two sexes to diverge physically and mentally, and -ire profoiandly connected 
with the underlying differences of biological function. As was said 
earlier, these differences enrich human life at every point, especially 
in its higher emotional, esthetic and social aspects. 

The social These inner changes in the emotions grovdng out of sex 
conditions gradually reorganize the whole social life, behavior, and 
of the satisfaction of young people. The whole face of amusements, 
period. sports, hobbies, study and companionship is altered by 

them. Neither sex oxight or does normally cease to enjoy its 

own, bu''; the mixed associations and groupings become the 
rule, and influence everything from the simplest social affairs to educa- 
tion and religion. For example, the essential feature of the "Christian 
Endeavor" and similar movements is the recognition, in religious ex- 
pression, of the significance of this adolescent change of interest. 



164. 

Perhaps the second most important problem of this changing time is in 
respect to the home. Of course the essence of this v/hole stage of sex 
development is the impulse toward a n ey? home. This is largely im- 
conscious at first, to be sure, and is covered up by the enthusiasm of 
sense and emotion and activity vhich marks youth. Kov/, new homes are 
literally made at the expense of, and by deserting, the old. Hence the 
very inner spirit of the new development is one of increased indepen- 
dence of mind and of action on the part of the young people. This often 
makes the period a critical one in the personal and social relations of 
parents and children. It may easily mean, unless understood and sympa- ■ 
thetically used by the parents, a permanent break between the parents 
and young people. This is the point where each succeeding generation.; 
of adult rises up in its despair and points to the deterioration of the 
new generation! 

Notwithstanding all this, with those wise parents who have 
trusted their young people and have treated them so fairly that they are 
now able to claim their confidence and devotion, the old family can 
readily be made the soul and inspiration and ideal for the new; and 
this difficult time may become the richest of all in the relation of 
parents and children. Of course no parent of insight will go the length 
of expecting from even the most devoted child, if normal , g-s much time 
and companionship nov; as in the earlier years. It is obvious, at the 
same time the crude physical sex impulses are giving rise to these keen 
attractions of the sexes, that the resulting associations and contacts 
of boys and girls in all their mutual interests g'ive critical stimulation 
to the sex longings and multiply opportunities for expressing and satis- 
fying the various grades of sex desires. The interplay of the growth of 
internal urges and of the increase of social attraction and opportunity 
makes the "storm and stress" of the adolescent period. Nothing except 
sane understanding and right appreciation of the value of these things in 
personal and social life can enable young people to use these years 
effectively. 

Among animals the maturing of the inner sex powers and desires 
leads v/ithout delay to the normal culmination of physical intercourse. 
Among human beings, however, for numerous reasons connected with our 
personal and social evolution,- society asks the young people to daiy 
themselves this personal gratification until marriage. This introduces 
a period betv;een sexual potency and sex expression, that may fairly be 
said to be biologically abnormal. From economic and other reasons this 
period has been increasing in length. V/ithout question this makes the 
period of adolescence the most difficult, and the most important from 
the point of view of individual sex character and social welfare , in the 
whole development to maturity. 

The Everything now depends on what has gone before. If sound 

educational habits of behavior, backed by sufficient knowledge , animated 
conditions by vholesorae tastes and desires, and approved by right ideals 
of the and attitudes , have been built up in the earlier periods, 
period. the task is now only one of making clear the new facts, of 

interpreting present conditions, and of testing out the 

accepted principles in the present relations. If earlier , 
sex education has been vicious or neglected, there can scarcely be hope of 
avoiding serious sex mistakes and tragedies. 



165. 

From the viewpoint of practical comTiunity education, there 
are three classes of adolescents v/hose needs must be met. Named in the 
order of their numbers and of the difficulty of education, these are» 

1) Those v;ho go into v/ork of some kind directly from the 
lower grades or from junior high school; 



2) Those v/ho go into industry and "business from the senior 



high school; 



3) That small number who complete the senior high school 
and some considerable part of a college or professional school course 
before going into their life work. 

In so far as the schools can have a part in the eex-character 
education of young people, this latter small group has the best chance to 
be given scientific and adequate guidance in respect to sex. Furthermore, 
this group furnishes in each generation a large proportion of our educa- 
tional, professional and religious community leaders. Clearly this is a 
critical group therefore. If it can be effectively trained it will be of 
maximum value in bringing the training to the reach of all. 

Equally clearly those who are compelled earliest to drop 
out of school and go into occupations from the grades have the least 
chance to learn v/hat is sound in the v/ay of sex life, except by physically 
or morally disastrous experiments with what is unsound. Unfortunately 
among these are the young poeple who, in the main, have come from homes 
least able to give them the guidance and training necessary. Furthermore, 
there are included among these the majority of those who are definitely 
subnormal in mental ability. These amount approximately to one-fourth of 
the total population* What was said earlier about more and more responsi- 
bility resting upon agencies outside the home, as the young people increase 
in age, is even more true in this period. 

This manual does not have space to treat separately the 
education of each of the thr^e classes mentioned above. V.'e shall use, 
as the basis of the present discussion this smaller, more favorable class 
which the schools and colleges can reach. This group is most easily 
reached, and more experimental work has already been done with it than 
with any other. The results we need to get in character do not differ 
for the young people in school and those in industry. The raw materiale 
of character in knowledge, in internal personal longings and pov/ers, and 
in the social problems and temptations are much the same for all* However, 
the methods that can be used, the particular emphasis and interpretations, 
and the agencies nliich can do the work will differ greatly. This is the 
point at which each community must study its own sex educational problems, 
discover its ovm resources of guidance, and find means to inspire its 
various agencies to meet the differing conditions of each of these classes. 
Surely the community will have the heart and the brains to meet the needs 
of all its ovm youth J Certainly our churches and religious schools, our 
schools and colleges, our medical clubs and health agencies, and our 
many social and remedial clubs and associations can fit themselves to 
meet the community task for the sake of the nev; generation! 



166. 

V/hat are ?rora the mental, emotional, social and religious points 
some of of view this is the most critical period of life. It is 
the critic- marked "by increasing ^Igor, zesl;, ambition, enthusiiasm, 
al facts, and range of interests, loves and hates. Equally it is 
qualities, marked by increased contacts, opportunities and tempta- 
and oppor- tions. Some of the special inner qualities and external 
tunities occasions that may be used effectively for sex-character 
bearing on education are:- 
sex educa- 
tion in this 1, The increasini? intensity and variety of the sex 
period? interests and longings . Prom now on a boy is not merely 

a boy, and a girl, a girl; the male and fcirale inpulses 

are expanding from their original individual and bodily 
nature to include all sorts of sex-colored emotions, dreams and fancies, 
associations and companionships, admirations and loves, aversions, and 
ambitions. Their play, reading, faiicies, love of nature and music come 
to have a large sex element. 'vVhether these expansions of sex interest 
are degrading or wholesomely developing depends very largely upon the 
education that has gone before. Because of the general turmoil of 
personality and its emotiona] changes, the period is a favorable one for 
correctin,?,' the mistakes or nolft^ct of earlier years. 

2. The rediscovery of the p^hersex. and a great increase 
in the interest of boys and girls in each ot her. This leads to associa- 
tion of boys and girls in play and v/ork and friendships. The ''gangs" 
now tend to become mixed "sets", and the amusemrmt become more sex 
stimulating and satisfying. Love and courtship normally being, but 

on a definitely youthful plane. See project page 

3. In consequence of the above facts sex opportunities 

and temptations increase . On the physical plane masturbation and relate!-' 
forms of self -experimentation occur. A generation ago boys and girls v.-ere 
not likely to seek actual sexual intercourse during the earlier years of 
this period. Youths have apparently become both more sophisticated and 
less restrained vith regard to this in the last 20 years, and v/e nov- hear 
of epidemics of sex indulgence even among children of early high school 
age, who may not be regarded as greatly subnormal. On the emotional level 
it is often made a period of day-dreaming and of morbid introspection, or 
of premature and exaggerated love making, v.'ith v/aste of time and emotional 
energy. 

4* The rise of sentiments of altruism and chivalry . These 
are apparently quite normal elements in adolescent development, if con- 
ditions are wholesome and favoring. They seem a natural psychological 
accompaniment of the development of the sexual feelings, and should be 
cultivated sanely and used as furnishing a refinement of sex impulse and 
expression and as a social check upon selfish sex gratification, 

5» The social and vocational aspirations . Many boys and 
girls of this period have their ambitions turn toward excelling in present 
youthful pursuits,- such as athletics, sports, social diversions, school 
studies, dramatics, music, and the like. Or they may even begin to look 
ahead to certain definite careers in work or in society, All these 
interests are of the greatest value, both beciiuce they lead directly to 
v'holesorae attitudes of planning and activity, and because they toi d to 
replace, to combine with and to refine the cruder sex tendencies. The 



If 7. 

point is not that the young people will necessarily follow in life the 
care that first aroused their ambitions , It is rather that any wholesome 
amtition, held even for a limited time, gives stability to life by tending 
to inhibit acts r;hich oppose the purpose. 

ft. The increase and deepening of intellectual interests . 
Especially for mentally alert young people i7ho can spend these years in 
school, the contacts with the sciences, sociology and history, literature, 
and the arts tend not merely to give facts V7hich may aid in life guidance, 
but even more to develop habits of discovery and of thought, tastes, and 
attitudes which are profoundly valuable in special relation to sex, as in 
other aspects of character, 

7. The great range of educational opportunity . In additfcon 
to the general value of education for the refinement and the guidance of 
the sex impulses, many of the courses in high school and college bear 
directly upon one or more of the special groups of the human problems 
underlying or growing out of sex. In high schools such courses are: 
general science, biology, physiolo^, and hygiene, social studies, physical 
education, domestic science, home nursing, literature and the like. In 
college these subjects continued, and in addition courses in anthropology, 
embryology, psychology, social ethics, history, and religion may supply 
the facts or method or spirit necessary to give the youth what he needs 

to order his sex life v/isely. 

8. Coeducation, The very association of young people of 
both sexes in getting their education is of great importance, for better 
or worse, in determining the sex habits and tastes and attitudes of our 
future men and women. That these very social relations can be made most 
constructively educative for sex guidance is unquestionable. In some 
v;ays this very laboratory of sex life in school and college is more 
important for this end than the special subjects mentioned above. In- 
stitutions are certainly responsible for the^type of sex-social attitude 
and life which flourishes v/ithin them. It must not be overlooked that 
this social school life may readily become very perverse and unv;holesome, 

9. The impulses of leadership . There is no time in the 
development of strong young people when the desire and sense of leading 
does not appeal. There is no time when '.t appeals more than in this 
period of enlarging vigor and social opportunity. This impulse has 
great value in sex and character education, both in the rivalries of 
equals and in the leading influence of the older upon the youiiger boys 
and girls in the home, the fratc-rnity , and community. From the high 
school 3.ge on, very constructive aids to right sex life can be had in the 
responsibility of older young people for their young brothers and sisters. 
Furthermore, this "Big Brother" relation is helpful not alone to the 
younger partners. 

10, The philosophic and religious tendenci es. There seem 
to be tv;o stages of religious tendency or sensitiveness during adolescence 
among those who develop fully. The first is early in the period; is 
largely emotional, and is coupled with the rise of the early social sense. 
The second is more intellectual and philosophical and is associated wich 
the natural efforts as one becomes mentally mature, bring together one's 
mental holdings into an explanation and philosophy of existence. They 
develop unequally in different people. Neither of these may be very 



168. 

positive or conscious or localized iii time; tut both seem related to sex 
development, '/ithout doubt, such a philosophy, involving, as it does, an 
attitude of mind and spirit to^7ard the universe, society, right, truth, 
obligation, duty, integrity of personal character, etc., has very much 
to do vlth one* special attitude tov/ard sex. It often takes the form 
of doubt, and of revolt against old beliefs. 

Sound The great growth of social consciousness and interest during 
adolescent adolescence maKes it a time favorable for the forming and 
habits the reforming of habits on a humane rather than a purely 
relating selfish basis. Habits of particular value to right sex 
to sex. adjustments ^7hich v/e should seek to continue and strengthen 

are,- habits of making the most and best of his home; of 

vigorous activity in recreation, study or v/ork; of respect 
for his omi bodily and mental powers and of conserving and recuperating 
these; the "scientific" habit of mind, ^"'hich means not to decide questions 
by prejudice or desire merely, but to get and './eigh the facts and make 
decisions in the light of the really important facts, (this habit is the 
most valuable that any human being can acquire); habits of consideration 
and courtesy and respect for vomen; habits of self-respect through self- 
control; the habit of sexual cleanness and continence, and of pride ra.ther 
than self-pit" because of it, the habit of checking up present ind'algences 
in terras of their after-effects, and oi wei^/hiiig ■■■-batartial ar;-^ •-•-iduring 
h , ■'.-.crss against transient and present pleasaroj. (Tliis means applying 
tne scientific apirit, rather than mere desire, to the research for 
happiness). 

An outline In a very real way all the sex facts and ideas which should 
of the in- come to the adolescent youth in high school and college are 
formation ■ merely extensions of those already suggested as beginning 
and in earlier years. Nevertheless, for the first time in the 

knowledge school life of the boys and girls the regular courses of 
which study naturally include subjects of human learning in which 
should be all the aspects of needed sex knowledge can be placed so as 
added during not to be hurtfully conspicuous. In these courses the 
adolescence, partial information which they have been getting from one 

source or another should be corrected and unified, as well 

as extended. In what is said, or implied, here as to the 
value of these various facts to be gained from the study of science and 
history, it is not the belief of the n^riter that the teacher of history 
or science should stop v;ith enablizig the student to get the facts. Facts, 
as such, bear lightly and remotely upon the personal opinions and atti- 
tudes which guide our condt-ict. The teacher must equally lead the youth 
to v;eigh and select ("discriminate") among the facts, must help in L-aeir 
interpretation, and must furnish the inspiration to apply the facts to 
life. Yet he must do all of this in such a way as to encourage the 
student himself to seek facts, to discriminate accurately between the 
important and the unimportant in these facts, to interpret these socially 
and with a long view, and to apply them experimentally and open-mindedly. 
It is not a place for an attitude either of dogmatism or of laissez faire . 



169. 

Kiowledge During the senior high school age boys and girls should 

the high get the following kinds of information and imifying of 

school knowledge :- 

courses 

should 1, A coordinated picture of the place v/hich reproduction 

give. and sex have in relation to the other vital functions, 

as all these have evolved from the lowest "beginnings of 

life up through the groups of plants and animals, in- 
cluding mammals and man. Here would come of course such great and 
interesting topics as the secondary sexual characters in the higher 
animals,- both physical and inbehavior; the differences between males 
a.nd females, the causes of these and their value in life; parental 
care and protection and its evolution and value; the nature and value 
of the various "social" impulses among animals and men. This should - 
be the worlc primarily of the biology course. The biology of human 
beings belongs to the course as really as the biology of the grasshopper. 

2. If not done in the last year of the junior high school, 
a similar elementary synthetic viev; of the human physiology and hygiene, 
including the facts of sex hygiene. Here should be given briefly the 
relations of individual hygiene and social hygiene, with the elements 

of bacteriology, some knowledge of the infectious diseases including 
syphilis and gonorrhea, together v;ith the important effects, personal and 
social, of these germ diseases. This should be the joint work of the 
school courses in biology, hygiene, physical education, domestic science, 
and home nursing. 

3. A knowledge by each sex, supplementing their knowledge 
of themselves, of what is and has recently been going on in the body 
and mind of the other sex .- all interpreted and applied as inspiringly 

as possible in terms of the present or future sv;eetheart, or mate through 
life. This ought to be done personally, preferably by the mother or by 
some favorite friend of the child's o\-m sex. See projects 23-and 24, 

4. The elementary facts about embryology, herdity, eugaiics, 
euthenics. This should include the more obvious deductions from these 
facts as they relate to carrying on his ovm line of descent; and as they 
bear upon the limitations of inheritance and throv' us back upon education 
and the perfecting of social institutions for our progress. This belongs 
essentially to the course in biology, v;ith help from the social studies 
and from domestic science. 

5. The social value of the hom.e at its best in preserving 
and promoting all that is personally most worth while in life. If the 
youth has a home in which the real social spirit and conduct prevail, 
this presents no special problem. The task is merely to continue to 
interpret the reasons for any success or failure. The social aspects 
of promiscuous intercourse, the venereal diseases, prostitution and 
illegitimacy should be presented to hira, apart from the health phases 
already referred to, as threatening the success of the home. If his 
o^vn home has not had the spirit necessary for success, more time will 
need to be given to make the boy or girl see what homes may be, how 
success may be achieved, and how important their success is to the happi- 
ness of all concerned. This work ought to be done by the home, the 
church, and in some degree in the literary and social studies and 
domestic science classes in the schools. 



170. 

6. During this age, if not before, boys and girls should 
come to understand that the sex natxire is a great creative and moulding 
force in them for body, mind and spirit; that it may give power, satis- 
faetiOn, richness and beauty; that its satisfactions may be had on crude, 
physical, animal planes, vvith unsocial, damaging, and anti-social results; 
or that they may have permanent, rich satisfaction on high planes in which 
the attractions, friendships, and comradeships of the sexes are full of 

the most inspiring, esthetic and socially uplifting emotions and affections, 
In other \vords they may get real, though transient, pleasure by using sex 
grossly; or they may find the supreme st happiness which humanity knows by 
using it socially and spiritually; but that no man or woman can have both . 
They cannot have their cake and eat it too. 2here must be discrimination 
and a choice, iidolescsi ts of the high school age should have the grounds 
on which sound sex choices can be made, and every constructive incentive 
for making them, for they are sure to make vital sex decisiohs during 
this time. 

This is the joint v/ork of the home, enlightened churches and 
religious schools, the older companions, and of classes in literature, 
social studies, and domestic science, 

7, Youths of this age should loiov;, what even now some special 
pleaders desire to obscure, that there is no evidence that sex intercourse 
is necessary either for the physical or mental health of men or women. 

To be sure, every one realizes that moderate sex indulgence is perfectly 
normal to mature males and females of any species, and in no sense in- 
jurious from the biological and physiological point of viev;. But there is 
abundant evidence to shov; both that such indulgence is not needed to per- 
fect sex development, or to take care of general health and development, 
or for personal happiness, and that it is, v.hen practiced v/rongly, de- 
structive of the inner qualities of self-respect and of the social conf id& c 
that makes the finest sex relations possible. They should also loiov, in 
spite of the fact that there are no biological grounds for denying sex 
intercourse, that t'nere are powerful psychological and social reasons, and 
that the health of the family and of the socjal relstlona gpringing from 
the family call for self-control, cleanness, and abstinence from irregular 
and premature sex relations; that boys and girls alike owe it to their 
future mates and families and to society to be clean and faithful to this 
ideal before as after marriage.. The home, the church, cominunity 
opinion, and the appropriate school studies should contribute to this 
knowledge. 

Additional Colleges should continue, for the elier adolescents, in a 
knowledge more scientific, thorough, , and coordinated v/ay, all the 
desirable kinds of information suggested for the high school age. 
for Increasing effort should bo made to insure that both facts, 

college and the conclusions and opinions based on these facts, 
students. should be gained by a democratic pooling of the full 

resources of both teachers and students. The scientific 

method does not call for indifference as to opinions any 
more than it allov/s dogmatism on the part of the teacher. This is the 
time when all these understandings of sex should be brought together, 
critically re-examined, and revalued in terms of the biological, anthro- 
pological, psychological and social facts brought out in the college 
courses. All this means that there should be a coiirsc or courses, re- 
quired or v/idely selected, in which it v/ould be possible and necessary for 



171. 

the student to synthesize for himself a working philosophy of sex life 
from the facts discovered! in these various fields, aided by the ex- 
perience of the best human teachers. 

Certain specific types of information are called for in 
this latter part of the adolescent period, equally for men and v/omen,- 
such as.- 

1. The problems of marriage and of the home from the point 
of view of the persons making it up. This includes a reviev; of the 
practical aspects of heredity and eugenics » in so far as these throw 
light on mating and the probable character of offspring; a study of the 
personal traits and attitudes and behavior that make for success betv.-een 
mates, and between parents and children; the bearing of pre-marital 
standards and life upon the home happiness; and the biology and psycho- 
logy of courtship, the psychology of building a permanent respect, love 
and devotion upon the original romantic, -ind often unreasoning affection 
into which courtship usually leads; the spirit and technic of progressive 
happiness and contentment of people brought thus perpetually together; 
general problems of parenthood and the care and education of children. 
The domestic science courses for v/oraen can be made the means of carrying 
this material, or a special course may be organized for them about 
marriage and maternity. For men a special parallel course, based either 
in psychology or sociology, could well be organi7,odl, 

2. The problems, of the family which grow out of secondary 
elements,- as the division of labor, the economic or social environment, 
family income, allov/ance and budget, food, housing and the like. All 
young v;omen should have a domestic science course covering these points. 
Suitable parallel discussions should be arranged for men. 

3. The psychological and pedagogical training that will 
enable college graduates to use later the biological, psychological and 
social facts effectively in the character education of their own children 
and in leadership in the social hygiene movements of their ovm community. 

The writer recognizes fully that a college cannot requii'e 
these various possible courses of its graduates, and that no student will 
likely take . them all,. Hence what is 'being said, put in more general 
form, means that each department, whose matter bears on the sex problems 
of life (and few do not), shall have the attitude of doing as much aa 
possible , rather than the least possible, to fit the young people to 
make fine and effective husbands and wives and parents. This is essentially 
what sex education means; and all institutions of higher education are in 
a position to do important work v;hich now they are not touching at all, 
or are leaving to the impossible device of an occasional invited outside 
lecturer, or to the inadequate handling by a department of physical educa- 
tion,- all other departments virtually washing their hands of the whole 
busincoS.. No department of physical education, even when combined with 
the lecturer on hygiene, has the foundation in the anthropology, socialogy, 
history, economics, social ethics, morals and religion which aH)uld con- 
tribute to Six education in college. The need is urgent eao^^h. itOv^Bll far a 
complete coordination of all the academic resources , 



172. 

SJhat the From vjhat has been, said heretofore of the v;ay in v/hich 
period sex development stimulates and moulds the emotional, 
calls for esthetic, and affoctional life, it is quite clear that no 
in the way period of life is more important than this adolescent age 
of education in establishing the pergonal and social tastes and standards 
of tastes, of preference, v/hich furnish the motives of mature people* 
desires, and The rapid v;ay in v-'hich boys and girls in high school adopt 
motives. the "tastes" and fashions of their set, or in rhich socially 

untrained young people take on the manners and "culture" 

of the college, are merely evidences of the educable state 
of mind and spirit of the period. It is a specially plastic and an 
habituating time for these esthetic and emotional qualities. This is 
quite as true of the sexual preferences and tastes, satisfactions and 
interests as of any other, ^nd more than anything conveyed by education 
these "acquired" sex tastes and likes condition the primary sex impulses 
and their expression. The great responsibility of the v;holc school and 
college regime, both inside and outside the classes, is obvious. 

Tastes to The youth and maiden should continue their interest in their 
be culti- boyish and girlish pursuits and be encouraged to have 
vated dur- pleasure and pride in these homosexual activities and com- 
ing the panionships, aiongside of and as a check and complement to, 
high school the increasing taste for the other sex. To this end every 
age. stimulus should still be given to organized sports, hikes, 

games, raising animals for pets or profit; to fascinating 

mechanical devices and their uses,- as guns, bicylces, 
boats, engines, cameras, vireless apparatus, typewriters, dress or hat 
making, fancy work; to all the thousand and one gang interests and enter- 
prises; to winning school or athletic honors calling for both rivalry and 
team v/ork, and calling for superior porer, energy, industry, skill, 
courage, fortitude, generosity , chivalry; to cooperation in the making 
of their orm home successful and happy as they measure success; to part 
time vocational work; to encouraging a taste for good literature, ro- 
mance, history, biography, drtmia, acting. 

Ordinarily the admiration for the other sex comes on :7ith- 
out any special encouragement. It is entirely wholesome gradually to 
couple this with the various types of active interest, sug;ested above 
in order that it may be balanced and not too engrossing. Under these 
conditions even the special devotion for a particular member of the other 
sex has definite values for education and for character. Each should 
have admiration for certain high and right qualities in the other, and 
feel an aversion for unmanly and unv;oraanly qualities; should have a 
passionate satisfaction in the self-respect of fulfilling one's ovm best 
standards and in the good opinion of the wisest and best people he knows. 
The boy should have a feeling amoiinting to jealousy for his ovrn fairness 
and honor in living up to the sex standards he has for his s'voetheart, 
and the girl should have satisfaction in the sexual cleanness and restraint 
of her sweetheart similar to that she has for her ov/n. Each should 
cultivate the liking and satisfaction of being intimate v/ith one or more 
democratic and honorably successful older men and women; and should feel 
pleasure in beginning to dream and purpose success in some useful field 
of work, and in planning for this by learning as much about it as can 
suitably be done. 



173. 

A boy should have a pride and pleasure in all his ■ ; 
evidences of manliness in relation to other boys; :.nd equally in 
those qualities \/hich mark him as mn^ly in relations to girls and 
women. The naanliness of the boy in sport, vigorous competition has • ' 
some wonderfully attractive elements added to it v/hen it holds equally 
for his mother and sister and sv/eetheart, A genuine taste for man- 
liness is hard to stop short of democracy, consideration, faitness,- 
exploiting none for his o'-n satisfaction J The average high school 
boy can be this sort of a gentleman; .and his sister and sweetheart 
can get the womanly qualities that match these. 

The „ The college man and woman should extend and refine these 
standSEd of various high school tastes and likes and dislikes. In 
tastes and addition, as they mature, their feelings of satisfaction 
desires for and dissatisfaction v/ill rather center about four out- 
the standing facts: 1) their increasing intellectual, 
college age, scholarly, scientific and philosophical interests and 
outlooks; 2) their understanding of the increased attrac- 
tion and the increased range of charm v;hich each sex has 
for the other; 3) their closer approach to the thought of establishing 
a home of their ovm, possibly with the definite mate already in mind; 
and 4) if his college training has been liberal-minded and forward- 
looking, an aspiration for a more democratic and rational human society 
and a desire to keep it evolving. Put in a less formal way these later 
adolescent years should produce a desire for and pleasure in organizing 
a consistent and. constructive philosophy of life from the materials and 
experiences of his college years; -s-hould give a taste for reading of 
all kinds; should give (particularly in coeducational schools) increased 
appreciation of the distinctive intellectual, emotional, esthetic and 
social charm of the best members of the other sex; should improve the 
sense of discrimination; should cultivate satisfaction in all \7orth 
v;hile mastery of self; should increase the pleasure of anticipation of 
a successful and useful career, in which the perfection of his orm home 
life shall be the ruling part; and should give a passionate longing for 
a more democratic, human and really Christian world and lead to demo- 
cratic rather than autocratic ^vays of expressing his o\m life. More 
succinctly still the college should give its students an appreciation 
and taste for learning and its uses, for sex love at its human best, 
for the most considerate and faithful adjustment of mates and children 
in a perfect home life, and for a just human social evolution. Much 
might be said in elaboration of each of these points, but it scarcely 
seems necessary. 

What the The ideals and attitudes formed at this period of life, 

period calls however fine, may suffer loss from the materialism 

for in the and competitions of later life; but if poor and gross 

way of at the end of the college years, they are not likely 

ideals, ' '" ever to be changed for the better, 
attitudes 
and purposes? 



Erratum: Ten page mim'bers have been omitted but text is complete, 
Page 173 is continued on page numbered 184, 



184. 

Idesis. Sone of the ideals v.-hich should receive new aeaning, and 
. if possible, becone firnly fixed at this age arei 

Ideals of full nanhood and voraanhoOd. If the earlier 
training has bs?n sound, these are not nev; conceptions to the young people » 
They are, ho'.veves-, at this time ro\inding out their conceptions of these 
ideals and putting then on both a phiiogRflPhical as v;ell as the practical ' 
basis on which they will lire. It is peculiarly important that they shall 
not have one thing as the philosophy and theory of nanliness and v/onanli*- 
ness and practice something else. This ideal of \mity and j^ntegrity of 
character, of being true to oneself is peculiarly inportant to );ialce sure 
at this age. This unification of desire and reason is the foundation of 
all else that is v;orth v;hile. It ought to be one of the personal outcomes 
of the uethod and spirit of the sciences, if our teachers of science v.'ere 
interested in this JJapplication of science",- ^7hich is the only application 
that is of first rate i;jportance. It is peculiarly important in aex 
character and relations. 

2) Ideals of a single, sound, fair standard for self and the 
other sex. Anything else is selfish, undemocratic, unfair, and carrying 
special privilege. There can be no just or denooratic hunan society in 
'v7hich men can claim for thenselves sex privileges v/hich they uould deny 
their nothers, sisters and sweethearts or wives; or in v'hich any nan 
claims privileges v/hich are not open to all men. 

3) Ideals of complete continBnce (abstinence) before raarriage, 
and of mutual faithfulness, consideration, and temperance in sexual in- 
dulgence during marriage. Arguments have been advanced el3e^^5lere (Part II, 
ch, 3 ) in support of this viev/ of sex life as the clear trend of rational 
and ethical human social evolution. They v.'ill not be repeated here. Such 
a regi -len seems necessary if v/e are to reach either the best fa:nily and 
social life or the most admirable and permanently satisfying personal 
character and happiness. 

4) Ideals of serving hu.:ian evolution by becoming fit leaders 
in giving to those who have not had college opportunities, to bacltward 
co--v.nunities, and to younger boys and girls a sound view of sex and help 
in vrise organization of sex opinion and practice. 

Attitudes. Sane attitudes which the late adolescent years should 
bring and college educatijjg'should definitely foBter are: 

1) An attitude of sincerity about one's sex standards and a 
willingness to apply them fully to one's ovti program. In a statement 
like this, it must be understood that reference is not merely to ab- 
stinence from physical sex indulgence. This is essential for the welfare 
of the fanily and society. However, a person may control his anatomical 
relations and still develop a disordered and lustful inner :iental and 
emotional life. To be sure such vicious mental unchastit/ is more 
characteristic of those v;ho practice lust than of those v/ho control their 
sex emotions and practices through large and contru^tive laotives; but the 
phjrsical acts may be controlled in such a way as to increase rather than 
remove the lewdness of the spirit. 



185, 

2) An attitude of getting always the highest, most con- 
stnuctive, nost permanent satisfactions out of sex and love. This 
means to use the love motive (with all that it includes of comradeship, 
admiration, respect, devotion, cooperation, understanding, emotional 
and esthetic attractions) to control lust and to inhibit premature and 
irregular relations. It means the use of the whole of 6ne's nature and 
interests to guide the various parts: to use the social values to 
correct and direct the personal, using the anticipation of future and 
permanent relations and happiness to prevent dissipation of opport-anity 
in irregular, unsocial and premature indulgence, which always brings 
distress and remorse to sensitive and generous minds; to use the mature 
philosophy of life, rather than impulse, to govern conduct. 

3) An attitude in young men of consideration, chivalry, 
protection of girls and women of every social grade from the exploita- 
tion both of himself and of other men, There are those among the 
feminists who resent male assumption of a chivalrous attitude toward 
women. This, hov/ever, is merely a hysterical phase of the splendid 
forward movement of women. The manly attitude mentioned above is only 
the natural altruistic and spiritual quality v;hich normally v/ould grow 
out of and belong to the biological and functional division of labor 
in the higher mammals. V/e see the same motive of male protection in 
aniiTials below man. 

4) Similarly, an attitude in women vhich parallels, and 
is the complement of, the above:- of modesty and womanly poise, without 
any loss of initiative or opportunity; of stabilizing and making con- 
structive ...the sex aggressiveness of men; of resisting and restraining 
and of refining and sublimating both his advances and his nature it- 
self. The meaning of what has just been stated v/ill be better seen if 
we recall how this spirit in a fine girl will do more to develop the 
higher sex appreciations, sublimate the satisfactions, and control sex 
practices in her sv;eetheart than any amount of forrral education can 
ever do. This refining pov/er of womanliness does not suggest that we 
may cease our efforts to educate this attitude. It means rather that 
this very situation should be used consciously by the friends of both 
the sexes for character education. The girl should knov/ her power and 
should be given the spirit to use it well, 

5) An attitude of resentment and of disgust for in- 
justice, grossness, vulgarity, immodesty, dishonor, unmanly or un- 
womanly sex practices. 

6) An attitude of accepting pblip:a.tion for one's share 
of the effort or the control necessary to secure right personal and 
social sex relations. The idea and attitude of personal moral obli- 
gations or duty is not very popular at present. The race hasn't yet 
reached the place, however, where there is any hope of a constructive 
evolution without it. 

7) An attitude of leadership in securing sound sex ideals, 
and practices (in a word sex education) in family and community life. 



186. 

8) An attitude of courage. This neans the ability to 
extend or project the v.-hole of one's emotions upon :m object v;hich 
one holds of supreme value. It includes v;illingness to endure effort, 
sacrifice, pain, ridicule, defeat of desires. This is as important in 
respect to sex as in any other department of feeling and action. 

In refer- The needs of the older boys and ^irls and the young uen 
ence to and women v.-ho go early into the occupations are just as 
adolescents great as those of the people in school. These have the 
v;ho are not sane inner dcveloprriCnts, inpulses and longings. They 
in school have even nore sordid temptations; and in many v/ays do 
or college. not have the sa.io outer incentives tovrard a high and 

social use of their sex life. The various high points 

(•|)latoaus") of sox development are 3, little earlier in 
these than in the youn,^ people in college, and they reach their mature 
and fixed mental states a fev/ ye:'.rs earlier. The vork to bo done for 
and with then should therefore come a little faster than for students. 

In organizing and carrying out a program of sex education 
for these young people parallel to that v;e have been describing, every 
cociEiTinity v/ill need to train and ..^-ike use of all available aids. Chief 
among these are:- the t^unioipal authorities , who are in large measure 
responsible for the conditions in the v/ay of amusements, entertainment, 
and in general the surroundings during leisure tiiiie; the health authori - 
ties , including physicians, nurses, and their respective societies, v;ho 
are in a very favorable position to help in education, not merely in 
respect to venereal diseases and perversions, as is too often the case, 
but equally in the normal and social aspects of sex life; the school 
authorities , who can aid through high schools, continuations schools, 
extension work, etc.; the religious organizations, including churches, 
Sunday schools, Christian and Jewish associations for young ^en and 
v/omen, v;hich are in a position to emphasize not only the holdings of 
revealed religion but all personal, moral, social, and ethical incentives 
as v/ell; the employers , and all labor, cocmercial and industrial organi- 
zations; social and fraternal organizations , both of adults and younger 
people. These various ins tru!:ien tali ties embrace practically the whole 
community. They are entirely euql, if they desire to do so, to effect 
a revolutionary improvement of sex opinion and conduct v/ithin any normal 
community. 



187. 

Chapter 8. Tho Period of I.Iaturitv. IJarriaRe. and Parenthood . 



The This period arises gradually fron adolescence in the 
period. early or middle tv;enties and fades as gradually into 

senility. It includes all the vigorous, nature years 

Of life, - ::ientally, socially and econonically, and 
spiritually, as rrell as sexually, V^hilo it is vicious to speak or 
think of any period of life as merely or primarily a "preparation" 
for any other, it is true that the elements of personal character have 
nor been pretty r/ell determined by the experiences of the earlier 
periods. This is peculiarly the time of consu;.i':3ation and the making 
of "applications". During the latter part of the adolescent period 
and in this m.ature section of life, the real tests come to any sex 
ideals, philosophy, and attitude v;e may have gained in youth* 

The In a sense, the relevant facts and phenonena mentioned 

educational in this chapter should in large part cone as a prepara- 
aspects of tion for this period, during the time covered in the 
tho period. preceding chapter. Yet t^•'o facts seem to make it 

___>_ desirable to retouch certain fundamental things in a 

separate chapter: - 1) I'ost young men and women do not 
go to college at all. Normally, these marry di^rinvg the college age, 
-'.nd for this reason need the suggestions outlined here- preparatory to 
marriage irrespective of their age ; and 2) v,'e have nov;, and shall have 
for years to come, r.any young (and maturer) married people, v;ith or 
^7ithout college opportunities, v/ho have had before marriage little or 
no early outside guidance in fitting themselves to meet the critical 
sex problems of marriage and parenthood. These people are still open 
to educational help, if it is tactfully given. This must come through 
some general comrrMnity effort in v/hich they are not singled out and by 
an agency in v/hich they have confidence. It must iiot be felt^ from the 
fact that these problems of maturity are specially reserved for this 
chapter and period, that the kind of instruction emphasized from the 
earliest years in the hp-ie has not been thro\Tiri.g direct light on the 
spirit in v/hich this period r.ust be lived. Obviously, nevertheless, 
the close approach of the great practical sex events of mature life 
calls for nuch more exact knor/ledge and interpretation than can be 
given in youth. 

Hany who agree that some instruction is needed in early 
years to prevent sex perversions, are inclined to sm.ile at the thought 
that yornig people about to be ma,rried v/ill care for or need mature 
suggostionc, feeling that they should rather bo left to discover by 
experiment the nature and method of this nev; adjustment. Of course 
there are so:.e fundai^ental fi^cta v;hich chance and instinct v/ill 
naturally lead them to; and there are som.e purely individual facts 
peculiar to each pair, v/hich they must learn for themselves. Never- 
theless, it is v/holly true that more marriages are v/recked through 
ignorance of facts •well knov;n to science, and through careless con- 
fidence in instinct, than through rilful or perverse purpose. In- 
stincts are enough to guide animal mating; but not for successful 
human marriage and parenthood. Purthorriore, in the experience of 
the v.'riter, there is no tirie in the lives of young people v;hcn they 
are i^ore desirous of reliable information about the intimate natters- 
of sexual life than during coiortship and proli.. unary to marriage, or 
v/hen they arc so likely to raake an honest effort to apply the best 
they knov/. 



lea 



In a sense v;e arc now back to our starting point, 
ediacationally. V/e hold at the bogimiing that the first step in the 
sex education of the children is tha preparation of present adults .-" 
parents and others. In our periods of education v;e have nov/ cone 
again to the stage of parenthood and its responsibility for yet a nevr 
generation. Our educational hope is that bettor equipped parents v;ill 
mean better equipped young people v/ho in turn vdll be still better 
parents. 

The major As the great sex incidents in the dcvelopnent of body 
sex and and emotions cone during puberty and adolescence, so in 
personal late adolescence and raturity we have the suprene esthetic 
aspects of and social expressions and experiences of the sex and re- 
the period. productive functions. These nornally include love, 

- courtship, both of the experimental and the real sort; 

narriage, nating and home making; and parenthood. On the part of a very 
large number, v/hich inust nevertheless bo regarded as not riOr.nal, this 
cycle is interrupted in some more or less tragic v;ay, and the young 
people who do not marry are forced to ..lake sex adjustments of a very 
caudh modified sort. Instead of further general discussion of the 
bidlogical and social significance of these various mature sex pheno- 
mena, it may be nore useful to deal somewhat more particularly V7ith them 
in detail. 

Love: its Quite a number of writers in recent years have been refer- 
nature and ring to love and love making as an "art", It is really 
elements. such. It nay be fairly said that the fundamental sex 

attraction and desire v/hich v/e share v/ith all the higher 

anii.ials, is instinctive , but in our ov/n case so much that 
is emotional, esthetic, intellectual, social, and spiritual 
has grown out of, and been added to this instinct that ve cannot get 
its greatest joys v/ithout corresponding conscious understanding and ap- 
preciative painstaking. For one reason or another (as v/e have been 
seeing all through this discussion) the dcvelopnent of these "higher" 
;:iorc human elements has always involved some degree of restraint, con- 
trol or refinement of the "lower" and more animal. This sacrifice of 
immediate and cruder forms of satisfaction is the price we pay for the 
higher not merely in the sexual but in all the realms of our progress. 
In consequence, there has been a race-old "conflict" between the lower 
and the higher modes of sex expression. This conflict is repeated and 
must be fought out in every life. Nothing is gained for real love 
between men and women by dejiying or trying completely ito eliwilate the 
physical foundations of human love, ho-ever. It is enough that a large 
part of this love m.otive ;.-tay become refined and "spiritualized", so to 
speak, and that this "higher" motive May subordinate, and, if there is 
need, completely guide and restrain the physical sex expression. But 
it must not be forgotten that these sublimated sex expressions and 
satisfactions have their nourishment, not in riystical unrealities, but 
in physical sex foundations and desires v/hich cannot be destroyed. 
Furtherm.ore, those physical elements are the most constant of the 
various factors in hui-ian love, being the aore instinctive and inherited. 
The refined elements are much .lore the product of circumstance and of 
GduGition, and ..re ;iore v:.riable. They must have therefore the rein- 
forcement of consciousness .and reason. 



189. 

DliCferencea Based upon the iDiologieal and psychologlca.1 sexual 
in the love differences discussed In Part II., chapters 1 and 2, - 
of men and v/hich in their turn are grounded in the inherited ner- 
wOi-iien. V0U3 and endocrine (internal secretive) elenents, - 

the nature and tendencies of love in the tv/o sexes 

differ strikingly. Physical sexual desire in man ie 
always near the surface and can be aroused at any tir.ie and, together 
v/ith the satisfaction, is highly localized in the generative organs, - 
as localized indeed as taste and thirst are. That of the average 
v/o..;an, if consciously experienced at all, is less intense, less 
sharply localized, and of a raore Interuittent quality, - apparently 
v/ith a slight fortnightly or a nonthly r^ythn, Purther;uore, in v/onen 
it is clearly much .acre capable of control, of suppression, and of 
refinenent into nore intellectual and esthetic forms than it is In 
laen. This is illustrated and r.ade still nore true and emphatic by 
the close connection betv/een her sex qualities and her sacrificing 
maternal instincts and activities which may readily coinbine v/ith or 
substitute for the sexual. 

This connection is shown on the physical plane by the 
.aingling of the influences of the sexual and the reproductive internal 
secretions. In uian the interstitial sexual secretions of the testes 
are not complicated by any which -re so profoundly pa rental In their 
Influence as we find in wo-aen. For exai.iple, we ilnd in wo.nen not 
;aerely the analogous sexual secretion fro/.i the interstitial cells of 
the ovary, but others v/hich apparently have a part in preparing for 
reproduction, for nenstruation, gestation, lactation, - for notherhood . 
in a word. These are secretions fron the ovarlea follicl e cells ; as 
the follicles develop and ripen, fron. the corpus lUveun after fertili- 
zation, and during pregnancy; fron the lining of the uterus, from the 
placenta, and frorj the fetus itself. The interplay of these secretions 
probably is largely responsible for the conplex but nornal (and ab- 
nornal ) nervous and enotional (as well as bod.'ily) changes in wonen. 
These feninine qualities have alv/ays seeded to men conpllcated, capri- 
cious and inscrutable. They involve such paradoxes as softness, 
tenderness, conpassion, naternal devotion on one hand, closely flanked 
by touchiness, spitefulness, nagging and tears on the other. 

There can be no question that these underly?.ng differences 
in the physical impulses and in the internal secretions give rise to 
Important differences in enotional traits and attitudes v/hich have most 
important bearings in determining the success or failure, general and 
individual, of the love relations betv/een '"len and v7o;:ien, Khov/ledge 
of these facts must make for ;iore understanding relations, 

V/oolng and It is not alone in man that the seeking out, persuading, 
courtship. and pursuing of the loved one, which we r^ame courtship, 

are to be seen. In '.lOst of the higher animals very 

similar steps ure found. In them this is not done once 
for all, - not even in those v/hich mate permanently , Nor ought it 
to be so in man. In addition to the general courtship v/hich i.iarks ' 
the opening of the mating season in those formes v-hich have a period 
of faithfulness, each sexual act in aniinals is the cul:unatton of a 
special process of wooing, characteristic of the species. The- more , 



190. 

pernanent marriage in man, grounded as it is in nuch beside the mere 
physical desire, calls expressly for a general introductory courtship 
in which these higher intellectual, esthetic, and social motives are 
to the fore; but this should never be allor/ed to eliminate the 
courtship after Marriage, v,'hich is needed to keep alive and develop 
further these saoe ^iritual attitudes, A chief value of such general 
and sone\yhat prolonged courtship is nutual discovery and understanding 
in this field. It should iiake cl'i'ir the difference betveen a nere 
infatuation and a respect and love nhich can become permanent. Court- 
ship and betrothal, v;ith their intimate associations, should anount iij,. 
reality to a kind of trial i.^arriage. In respeot to these higher 
elements that deter.iine success, under conditions that^make for frank- 
ness and self-revelation of the idiosyncraoiea ^7hich mean so nuoh in 
later individual adjustments . The special courtship which even in 
birds and other aniioals precedes intercourse, and ought to do so in 
hu;r>ans, has a very different purpose. It is to heighten the emotional 
and esthetic elements and to bring these and the physical elements into 
hamony in both the nates. In this r/ay too the nates are brought into 
naxinun harnony. Such a program not only brings naxiraun imnedtate 
pleasure but the nost permanent happiness and healthiness in narriage. 

For success and happiness in marriage, young people 
should get three kinds of information during the period of courtship; 
1] of the general qualities of izs^le and fes^le differences; 2} of 
particular qualities of the special ;nenber of the other sex v/ho nay 
b« considered as mates, 3) in respect to the technic and method of 
using personal and sexual differences and likenesses to produce happi- 
ness. The second kind of facts are the ones v;hich the young people 
must largely find out for ther^elvea; and it is in this field that 
the elders are nost likely to interfere with undesired advice. It 
is in respect to the first and third that v/e older people might be 
of most inspiring service; and equally it is here that we allov/ our 
young people to wonder and to grope. 

The general courtship of youth before marriage takes 
two forms: 1) a soiaev/hat general sexual interest among young people 
in which they make tentative explorations of the qua,lities of the 
other sex. It often involves a good deal of flirtation and pseudo- 
love-making; 2) specific wooing, definitely developing tov/ard full 
understanding and permanent relations. The first may pass rapidly 
into the second. The first period is the m.ore rational of the two. 
It is during this period that it is :-iOst possible for the young people 
to admit the personal and eugenic considerations which should enter 
in the selection of mates. 

Attitude As man's sexual nature and love is of a more simple, 
of 30X03 passionate, and self-seeking sort than woman's, hiw 
in part in courtship is more direct, sudden, positive, and 

courtship. aggressive. V/hen under the influence of desire, he is 

less likely to be critical and far-sighted in selection 

or considerate in treatjaent, unless he has had early 
training in the esthetic elements and ideals which go to make the 
gentleman. The woman is more deliberate and hesitant. He is likely 
to be impetuous and unrestrained; she to be coy and resistant. It 



191. 

is an interesting biological fact that these qualities in the fenale 
tend to ;-:ake the iiale nore deteri.iined. The male impulses, without 
the more spiritual eraotions, tend to degenerate into aninal expres- 
sions, Even v;hen the higher qualities are veil pronounced and show 
in chivalry and honor and sacrifice for v/o;.ien, the physical elenente 
of man's love are so greatly developed as to be a source of surprise 
and disappointnent, and even of disgust, to Many women v/ho have not 
learned these sinple biological facts for r/hich men are in no v.'ay to 
blane. Similarly, the degree to which many women ir-ay rake their love 
esthetic and spiritual, and become indifferent and cold or even anta- 
gonistic to the physical aspects of love, is also a source of mis- 
understanding and unhappiness. The processes of education should be 
coupled with the discoveries of courtship and together these ought 
to place young people at the tine of marriage in poasession of both 
the general facts and differences of sex and of their own peculiari- 
ties of attitude, - in order that all these i:iay be reconciled. 

Llarriage:- Hur.Vin marri '-ge, based as it is on these biological sex 
Goals of differences and attractions, is a very complex relation, 

We do not help to solve its problems by ignoring any 

of its main elements. The chief goals in marriage, in 
the order of their appeal to priniitive consciousness are:- 

1) Direct sensual biological sexual intercourse, for 
its o\m sake. This is the biological clir-ax of courtship in animals. 
Standing alone, this is restrained only by the desires and convenience 
of the r^ates, This is a distinctly anim.al goal, 

2) Conjugal adjustment, happiness and love, which calls 
for some mutual consideration in harmonizing the physical indulgence 
to the moods and wishes of the other. This means some control and 
restriction of physical intercourse in the interest of the eriOtional 
and social satisfactior^ , This is a spiritual goal, but distinctly 
individual, in the evolution of m.arriage, both of these goals had 
doubtless developed into clear consciousness before man knew there 
was any causal connection between intercourse and child bearing, 

3) Reproduction and offspring. Intercourse and other 
personal relations ..re furtiiC'r to be controlled in the interest of 
reproduction. Because of thc; mother's greater sacrifice in reproduc- 
tion, this points to further restraint on the part of the raale for the 
sake of th.: best well-bcin,'i- of i.iother and children. 

Human raarriages show all degrees of development and 
mixture of these three objects. They become really hUJian as the last 
tv;o motives are allov/ed to dominate. 

There is no purpose here to discuss the more incidental 
and superficial elements in r.:arriage as v;ealth, "social" advancement j 
nor even the lOre co.-uion one of economic support of v/omen. In spite 
of the economic "det-rminists" these are not basic ends of r.arriags 
and arc not likely to retain their present importance. Nevertheless, 
it is necessary for young people to work out a fair basis of adjust- 
ment and use of the fa:-.ily income. For example there can never be 
any real freedom., and equality and democracy v:here a woman has to beg 



192. 

and cajole, or over, to ask, for h=r sha.re of tho fa-iily incone; 
nor v/horc there is any question of superiority or headship in the 
fanily. 

Marriage: Tliero ara tmdovclopcd iiidividuals who rc^^ard, as the 
tho prohlGu lov/or aninals iinconsciously do, sox intercourse in 
of inter- Itself as the end and object of Marriage, This is noro 
course- and true of ; len than of v/or;.eu, l^o these, all restraining 
conjugal bonds arc galling and narriage becones j^ercly a legal- 
happiness, ized fora of indulgence. At the other extreme thoi'e 

are pcOple ^Tho hold that intercourse is dblely for the 

purposes of procreation. These bolievo that sex relations 
between nates should be discoiitinued v/hen children arc to bo United; 
or, if they do not approve of conscious limitation of faidlies, they 
think that intercourse should be fr- o, and the tine of reproduction 
and the nu:.ibcr of children be left to chance, - v;hich they usually 
change to Providence'. 

It appears to the i-ritcr that i^either of these views is 
socially or rationally sound, in that both ignore the nornal relations 
and happiness of the ..lates ar.d the v/elfare of cliildron* Certainly it 
is as important to give children a v/holesorrie and inspiring horiO life 
as it is to bring the. i into the world. Equally surely such conjugal 
happiness as ought to be found for this end cannot thrive wliere 
either husband or v/ife regard arriage as an excuse for unbridled and 
inconsidereatc sex excesses at the expense of the other; or, on the 
other hand, where all nonal sex expression is suppressed in spite of 
the increased intimacies of life v/hich are continually inciting the 
sex inpulses. 

Tho optinun of hunan :;ex relations appears rather to be,- 
such i-iutual restraint of sex desires as shall consider the health, 
fcclinge, and convenience of the nato ; that voluntary control of off- 
spring which will bring as .lan;}' healthy children into the world as 
can be properly reared and educated; and such definite ar.d planned 
use of all the physical, intellectual and cr/iOtional elcuents of 
courtship and intercourse as shall be :AOst developing to tho husband 
and v,lfe. 

Success in Carriage is essentially a sexual relation. Its success, 
narriage. however, depends both on the beforc-ncntioncd special 

soxual facts and the way those arc ;-vet, and upon nore 

general personal clcncnts v;hich necessarily co::o in 
v;honever tv/o hur:;an beings are brought into such intimate and continu- 
ous personal relations. In what is said below we arc not discussing 
the bearings of drunkenness, unfaithfulness, sexual diseases, grosser 
for;.is of self-indulgence, personal donination and selfishness and 
struggles for selfish rights. ITo iiarriage can be happy and no hoi.ie 
successful in which either person exploits the relation in those ways, 
V/c are oonccrncd with ;ioro constructive features and the loss gross 
failures, 

1. General traits and attitudes neconsary for hap:.iness; 
:.iutual consideration and respect, synpathy, coi.^radeship, kindliness, 
consideration, coop^.^ration, patience; openness and fraiakness in 



193, 

"bringing to light real grounds for raisund:r standing, coupled with. 
restraint in respect to petty j.nd nagging details, quick recogni- 
tion by each when the other is imder stress of any kind, v.'ith in- 
creased kindliness and consideration at such times; determination to 
allow no misunderstanding to continue; quick willingness to acknow- 
ledge or forgive a mistaken or unkind act or work, etc. All these 
must be mutual. It is fatal for either to do all the generous things. 
Success calls for a continuous competition in consideration and gener- 
osity. This insure good times I 

2« Sexual adjustments necessary for hap-piness . It is not 
possible in the space at command to discuss this subject at length 
here. The reader v/ill find special books which do this, The physical 
and emotional differences between men and women which constitute the 
very basis of their romantic attraction are more than likely, unless 
each understands the se x qu->.lities not only of his ov m but of the- other 
sex as well, to result in tragedy. These differences are too great to 
be ignored,' but not too great to be positively used even for increase 
of happiness, if understood. 

In men, as w^e have seen, desire is strong, and definite, 
can be aroused almost any time when in health, is strongly physical, 
more sensuous and concerned with physical possession, impatient of 
delay, inclined to be dominant and to ignore any barriers to their 
gratification which they regard trivial. In women the desire is much 
less keen on the average and even absent, tends to a certain monthly 
or fortnightly increase or decrease; is much more diffuse and more 
likely to be overlaid by emotional, esthetic and ideal elements which 
make the erotic state less instant and less easily aroused; more con- 
cerned with the ''spiritual" communion represented by the physical 
caresses. Since both the physical and the spiritual sex impulses are 
so strong and vigorous and since they do not squarely meet each other 
when left to ignorant experiment, their different emphasis in the 
two sexes needs ad.iustment and understanding . The very differences, 
even if containing the possibility of disaster, are, when properly 
and intelligently adjusted, the very basis of a satisfactory harmony 
gt a very much higher and more conscious level than if both husband 
and wife were alike ph ysiqally keen , 

Coin'tship is the means of this adjustment. Courtship 
of those in wedlock is the means of arousing the v/oraan's physical 
response by way of the esthetic and emotional aspects of love; it is 
equally the means of cro'.vning the man's physical desires with renewed 
emotional devotion and consideration. Such special and considerate 
courtship aliould preceae every physical indulgence, and both sexes 
should retain in this courtship after marriage something of the 
attitude normal to general courtship. Thus masculine lust and fem- 
inine coldness, if they exist, may be changed to mutual consideration, 
love and tenderness. Each viewpoint has been enlarged by the special 
strength of the other, and the sexual union becomes one alike of body 
and spirit. Those who have thus harmonized their sexual differences 
can scarcely be shortsighted enough to wreck their marriage on less 
dangerous rocks. 



194, 

Parenthood. With women» the instincts of parenthood are pretty 

. closely tied up with the sex impulses, as is fitting, 

since the sex functions in the female are all differ- 
entiated toward reproduction* In men there is vefy little either 
functional or emotional to indicate any deep-seated, native, 
parental instinct* The fatherly feeling comes very largely through 
the attachment to the mother and by conscious edxioation. With most 
healthy young married people there develops a very significant de- 
sire for children, v;hich is complex, made up of a number of elements. 
The planning for children i the anticipation of them, the incident of 
their birth, and the care of them normally fills in a large part of 
the mature period of life. This, v;e have seen, is the real goal 
of the whole series of sexual and reproductive phenomena. All the 
other relations should be perfected for this end. a fev; statements 
may be made which young married people should taiow, for which mature 
people v/ill readily see reasons r/ithout extended argument, 

1. If people are healthy and in suitable circumstances, 
they should have children enough to contribute their part to the main- 
tenanoe-of the species. This means about three children. But no pair 
should produce more children than they can bring to sound physical, 
mental, and social maturity. The welfare of humanity does not call 
for the production of children up to the limit of biological capacity, 
as is true of wild animals. It is a vicious social and industrial 
system which breeds human beings so that exploitation results, 

2, The advent of children should be definitely planned, 
so that they may have the best birth and nurtiire that their parents 
can afford. 

3, In the interest of both parents and children, the 
first child should ordinarily not come for about eighteen months or 
two years after marriage. This gives time for the mutual adjustments 
that are essential to happiness of husband and wife, and hence to a 
satisfactory home for the children, 

4. About two years, at least, should intervene between 
births. Some gynecologists say that three to five years should 
intervene, for the best health of mother and children. 

6» Ilae coming of children does not necessarily make the 
relations of parents more secure and happy, though it may do so, if 
fortunately handled. It may on the contrary use up the mother's 
strength and leave her ill and irritable; it may absorb her emotional 
interests, and leave the husband partly out. In turn the husband may 
become impatient and poorly adjustable to the nev/ inconveniences and 
demands, and thus a strain may come not felt before. These things may 
be watched for and guarded a,gainst. By coivimon sense and love they ■ 
may be overcome. The development of the paternal attitude of the . 
father should be combined with and reinforce his devotion to the wife, 

6. Both men and women in the married relation should 
retain some separate and individual interests, -• business, artistic, 
professional, etc. They should provide for certain privacy and chance 
to think and grow, and not be dominated continually by the strength 
or nearness of the other. 



195. 

Parenthood As intimated above the good of the species calls not 
and simply for reproduction of human beings; but rather 

eugenics, for the production of the best possible human beings. 

The reverse side of this is that, wherever it can be 

prevented, children v;ho cannot be normally sound and 
healthy in body or mind, children who cannot be trained in such a 
way that they will not be a charge on society, should not be brought 
into the world at all. Unfit marriages should not be made; but if 
a marriage has been made which is unfit, it should be childless. 

Many people and books still encourage mothers to think 
that they can, in some mystical way and by special care during the 
prenatal months, add something definite to the mind or temperament 
of the child, - over and above v;hat the mingling geria of the egg and 
sperm cells would transmit to them. They think that they can thus 
I mprove the inheritance of the child. There is 100^ inherited capa- 
city in the fertilized e.-jg. The mother can, by a poor living regimen 
cut off some of the chances of full development of this; but we haven't 
a particle of evidence that she can add anything to it whatsoever. 
All of this means that young people must focus their attention on two 
things, if they would have the best results v;ith their children ;- 
1) select the mate who, in his family and himself, seems to show the 
most suitable characteristics; and 2) give the very best surrOTindings 
{even during prenatal life) and education which they can fit them- 
selves to give. There is nothing else we can do. 

Sex There is, owing to many factors, an increasing number 
•problems both of men and v;omcn wtio marry late or not at all. 
of the Anything which increases the time from sexual maturity 
unmarried* to marriage makes more difficult the problem of con- 
tinent sex behavior, and is socially unsound and in- 
jurious. Any factors which diminish the ratio of marriage 
of suitable individuals are not only abnormal but socially hurtful. 
These factors are, - economic requirements, love of independence and 
unwillingness of both men and women to ass\me and solve the diffi- 
culties and responsibility of married life, the parasitic attitude of 
many v/omen as the result of our past custome> increase of sex pro- 
miscuity, license and the venereal diseases, local decrease in ratio 
of men, increase of economic and social independence of v/omen; and 
many other things, 

V/e must admit at once that any such proportion of un- 
attached men and v/omen, - which according to our social theory calls 
for an abstinent, celibate, childless sex life on their p^rt,- is 
abnormal, tragic and dangerous, and does not lead to the best results 
either in individual character of in social contribution. To admit 
this is very far from saying that a career of unmarried sex indul- 
gences, either secret or socially approved, would be any more normal 
or wholesome, individually or socially. If the home is, as we have 
held, the essenti^^l central and humanizing factor in human evolution, 
and its spirit the only prophecy we have for a future society which 
has in it any trace of hope, then the task of society is two-fold;- 
1) to find all suitable v/ays to encourage fit marriages at every 
possible point; and 2) to develop social and sex relationships and 



forms of expression for unmarried people v/hich carry both service 
and satisfaction, and compensate tliem for the loss of normal mating 
and home huilding, in so far as this can be done. It is not the 
task of this book to offer solutions. Our present task is to see 
and appreciate the sex problems as they exist in every community. 

The social In the preceding paragraphs in which some of the sex 
aspects of aspects of maturity have been considered, almost every 
sex prob- problem has shov.n itself not merely a sex problem but 
lems of the a social one xs ^.'ell. This only illustrates again 
period of what v/as insisted in an earlier chapter, namely that 
maturity. sex is a social phenomenon, impulse, and relation and 

_j therefore love can never be claimed nor solved as a 

purely individual privilege. In this spirit we have 
often coupled the terms - sex-social . It is perhaps worth while to 
renew briefly our consciousness of the s ocial side of some of these 
problems of married life. 

1, The natural desire and effort to m.ake one out of 
these two sexually complementary persons tends to bring them into the 
same place; to keep them together; to give them the same friends, 
interests, and outlooks. This is so even where there is the utmost 
possible consideration that neither shall consciously or unconsciously 
dominate the other, th less favorable cases one of the pair. may, by 
strength or by inconsiderateness actually impose his prejudices, v;ill, 
and interests upon the other, or create rebellion in the effort to 

do so. This is not an atmosphere in which individuality and character 
can grow in either mate; and as the Freudians have shown us, these 
complexes perpetuate themselves most unfortunately in the natures of 
the children. 

2, The husband has his business or profession, in 
addition to the narrower home interests. Most men, who can do so, 
also allov/ themselves some club or recreational life in which the 
wife does not share. He may be quite willing to give her a second- 
hand interest in these, or he may not. The routine of homo-making, 
child-rearing, and somev/hat artificial "social" duties, while in- 
evitably belonging to women because of biological specialization, 

do not serve the full intellectual j-.nd developmental nee^Js of a 
woman. She -will fulfill these necessary special duties better if 
she has the strength and freedom for both culture and expression 
outside of all these home tasks and of her husband's interests. 
In all probability the progressive woman of the future will suffi- 
ciently insist on these things. This is written \,lth the hope that 
it may help husbands and fathers to see the reasonableness of it 
and encourage and supply these needs rather than deny that they exist, 

3, LiatOE should therefore deliberately encourage and 
help each other to cultivate not merely some times and occasions 
when they can be apart, and thus gain thoughts and experiences which 
•it will be a mutual pleasui'e to share; and some significant intel- 
lectual, recreational, esthetic, or social tasks in \vhich the other 

is not expert; but as well independent friendships, economic interests 
and reponsibilities, and even professional duties, v/here this is 
possible. In most cases this means nev freedom to the vdfe, similar 
to that v/hich the husband already enjoys. 



197. 

4. It is claimod by some students that male unfaithful- 
ness to the wife and the raonogamic idual is due to desire for relaxa- 
tion! novelty, social change, excitem^-nt and the like, even more than 
to primary sexual urge. In proportion as this is true such increased 
freedom in the separate social and intellectual life of mates may he 
nade to strengthen still more the honds between the husband and v/ife, 
and to increase the social significance of the home for all its 
raeiabers, 

Ilethods and Assuming that the education and guidance of earlier 
spirit of periods has given reasonably sane desires, ideals and 
sex attitudes on the part of young men and women to build 

education up homes of th-jir own which will allov/ for comfort, sex 
of mature satisfaction, mutual happiness, the welcome of children 
people* and the care of them,- education now is largely a matter 

of information and imagination. Attitude and desire 

alone is not enough to make marriage lovely, although 
they go far. Knowledge and insight and understanding must be added, 
and a continual enlargement of these, llany people feel about this 
as an earlier generation thought about domestic science and "cooking" 
schools, that the new generation can pick up all that is necessary 
from the way it is done by the old, The most serious trouble with 
this is- that neither mother's cooking nor the home married life are 
above reproach, from a scientific point of viev/. Many others feel 
that chance experiments and the making of mistakes is a necessary part 
of the existing order both in making pies and in finding happiness. 
This may do in learning to cook; but scarcely in marriage adjustments, 
The supply of pie material is more abundant than the chances of l-appi- 
ness, and ^rc less sensitive to shockl This does not at -ll mean 
that young people must not have the attitude of experimenting. Each 
pair of young people is sufficiently different from ever./ other to 
furnish need for new ways of meeting the old situations^ but there 
are certain const.ints , and t'nese are the greater facts, v.'ith which 
we are familiar. There is no use in chilling the ai'doi* of our young 
artists in loving- by forcing thern to explore the niomerous ways 
v/hich humans have found impossible. 

Parents and friends, a renewed and practical church, 
more frank and thorotigh books, physicians who have sor.ie sense of their 
.place of social leadership, nurses and other social workers, asso- 
ciations of young men and v/omen, fraternal organizations, and special 
voluntary community groups of young fathers and mothers for the 
study of these problems furnish the machinery in the community for 
this vital education of the mature. 



lye. 

Chapter 9, Graded JPro.iects in 5ex Education t 



The use of Much is being made in recent years of the so-called 
"projects" "project method" in teaching science and other topics* 
and the The expression does not mean the sane thing in the 
project mouths of different teachers, and likely it may not be 
method. used in this chapter in a v;ay that v/ill satisfy those 

who invented the terra* The writer desires hovever, in 

this chapter, to illustrate in a very concrete and 
practical way how certain definite opportunities for sex education 
may be used to best advantage. The "opport;mity" may be a question 
from the child, reaching a special point in the development of his 
sex nature or needs, a particular incident in the family or community 
life, a piece of knowledge that must be given him or that has come to 
him, or the donscious development of some taste or attitude which we 
wish to secure in the child. 

As the writer sees the matter, the essence of a teaching 
"project" is that those who teach haVe a definite object to secure 
v;ithin the child by way of a certain definite and limited occasion over 
which the tedcher has some control and in which the child is or can be 
readily interested* "Project" teaching is in contrast to the diffuse, 
general, random teaching which has no specific goals in view and no 
conscious separation of a portion of edvcational material suitable to 
meet such goals. It contrasts also with dogmatic and authoritative 
teaching. It implies recognizing and using the native interest of the 
child, recognizing a special or limited objective, the selection of 
the most suitable means for reaching that objective, consciously ex- 
perimenting v;ith the materials to get the desired results, and 
finally testing the results obtained. 

The pxirpose of this chapter is to answer some of the so 
frequent questions of teacners as to "how we should do" this or the 
other thing; to give very definite examples to illustrate the spirit 
of what has been suggested heretofore in the way of principles; to 
cover some of the more important sex episodes of early life, and 
most of all to show how in every instance the problem is much 
greater than to give a few facts about sex. There v;ill necessarily 
be some overlapping and repeating in these examples; but repetition 
is desirable in teaching children, in order to be sure that the in- 
evitable first misunderstandings shall be gradually cleared up. 
There is some effort to classify the projects in accordance with the 
"periods" used in the general discussion. It must not be thought 
from this, however, that any one of these projects is the undertaking 
of an instant to be finished in one afternoon. The more deliberately 
and gradually these things are put through and the more diluting and 
persuasive material can be introduced, the more permanent will be the 
attitude which can be obtained* 



199, 



ghe Eairly Home Period (to 6th ol' &th yeai*)« 

Project It One important ocnsideration in all sex education is to secure 
Jo main- and to keep a normal, unashamed attitude toward sexual facts 
tain cjn and relations on the part of the child, "Hiis is peculiarly 

unejnbal'r vital because it is this sense of shame ond reticence which ■ 
rassed generat(^s the feeling that sex is vulgar and funny, The 

attitude smutty and suggestive story has very much less appeal to a 
in the person v/hose early ideas of sex were open ?nd free ond full, 

child . To do this the p?^en t or teacher must f ir st of all himself 

ovorcome a ny mo.v"b.ld..Mt itudevS or embarra ssmenua ffliis may be 

done by reading widely of the great biological baclcground and : 
meaning of sex and by assimilating a really scientific point of viev; with 
respect to it. Normal physicians aid biologists in this way overcome 
their original complexes* High minded and clean conversation on these 
subjects among mature end thoughtful people will rapi-dly dissipate the 
old unsDund feelings. In the second place, the child must not be allowed 
to feel that the teacher has rbout sex any different attitude from that 
felt phout other important subjects, 2here must be no going off into 
a corner, no whispering, no over- anything 1 Parents can insure this for 
themselves by beginning with remote things ysuch as the beauty of flowers 
or the sDngs of birds, and work gradually toward specific and central 
points of reproduction. Such conversations should be short , informal , 
and frequen t Y/henever sex matters are approached, especially at first, 
there may well be a large mixture of other interesting things to dilute 
and imbed theml !Ehey should be immediately connected v;ith the most 
priaed relations and imowledge the child has. In this way practice will 
soon bring a free feeling to the parent, and the child v/ill never have 
any other . 

If the child has already been made to thinit that there is 
something strange and shameful and nasty about sex, the task is more 
difficult but is to be met in the sane general way* Kie confidence and 
assurance and enthusiasm of the parent or teacher must remove the feeling 
of shame, by their very genuineness, An atmosphere and attitude of 
appreciation and pois e can and must be secured about the whole subject. 
There must not be the appessTance of haste, of secrecy, or of flippancy. 

Project 2, ihere are several values to this project af giring ttoe child an 
To secure untarnished and dignified vocabulary for the general pelvic 
a suitable organs and functions; - it frees the child .end parent from 
vocabulary, the need of using the more or loss secret vocabulary of the 

;- vulgrr; it later immunizes som.ewhat against both the street 

vocabulary and its misuse s> which are sure to reach the child 
in time; it earlier fits the child to uiiderstand during school life the 
intimate and scientific treatment of these subjects and -.vithout a difficult 
emotional transfer from the vulgar terms and context; in general it rein- 
forces the effort to free both child snd parent from embarrassment* If the 
vulgar terras come first, the scientific ones seem to the child as substi- . 
tutes, and a kind of conscious "dodge". 



200* 



In practice there are tv/o v/ays to do this. In the first 
place almost from the "beginning the scientifio terms may be used, - 
as:- pelvis, abdomen, penis, foreskin, scrotum, testicles, vulva, 
vagina, anus, urinate, "bowel movement, etc. To most parents this may 
seem stiff and priggish, and appear difficult to do. Such a feeling 
is only a "hang over" from our laclc of training. It will not seem so 
to the child. Urinate is no more difficult term than gingerbread, 
and scrotum, no more priggish than kitchen. In the second place, pureljz 
meangless family terms of simple, xmusual syllables may bo used during 
the earliest years for the more urgent of these ideas. Such a family 
code has its advantages over even the scientific terms. The child can 
be given to understand that it is a secret language of the family, to 
be used perfectly freely in the family; and that the secrecy is to be 
had not because there is anything vulgar or nasty about the facts, 
but because they are family affairs, and it is not customary to talk 
about them in public. In other words, this device can be made to serve 
all t>e needs of social reticence and be also the basis of the sense 
of greater freedom within the family. This latter feeling is very 
valuable to the child both to suggest greater appreciation of the privi- 
leges of the family relations and as the basis of some reticence about 
later sex knowledge which should be given in the fami?wy. The code 
syllables should be translated into the scientific vocabulary gradually 
as the child becomes less liable to refer to its functions in public. 
The advantage of the code over the scientific terms at first is that 
it puts the secrecy more intimately on a family basis, and thus more 
Mucatively and wholesomely . When the street terms come into competi- 
tion for the child's attention, the situation should be met construct- 
ively as a matter of good taste. 

Project 3: Probably one of the earliest conscious sex questions 
To use the that will arise in the mind of a child is about the . . 
sex differ- differences between the father and mother or the brother 
ences be* ,■ and sister. The child may not ask the question. Never- 
twcen males theless these sex differences which are being impressed 
and .- upon the child, plus the child's natural and inevitable 
females curiosity about them, create a situation v;hich is going 
educatively. to be profoundly educative in one way or another. Is 

it better for the child's character that he should learn 

of these difference gradually and naturally in the home 
atmosphere with an open and unashamed attitude toward them, having 
them interpreted and connected up with life? Or is it better that he 
should pick up only partial and mistaken ideas about them, and have a 
perpetually conscious and prying attitude coupi^ed. xvith the feeling 
that his parents are not open and frank with him? One of these 
things will occur; and to astc the question virtually seems to an^ver it. 

Our real question is; Hov^ can these sex differences and the 
necessary interpretation of them be made to mean most to the character 
of the child ? Clearly it must all be done v/ithout emphasis, embarrass- 
ment, or suddenness or shock. This can be effected most naturally and 
incidentally in the family processes of dressing and undressing, bathing 
and romping together during the early years of childhood. These things 
should be open enough and frequent enough to make the differences of . 
body seem familiar facts '^'ithout stressing them. Many people forget 
that studied concealment is as emphatic as complete exposure. In this 
practical way the main facts of physical difference will become obvious 
enough; but if the child's wonder is to be made really a means of growth 



201, 



in character, as it may, those differences must be fitted in to what 
he kno^7s and he must gradually have some interpretation of the meaning 
of the differences, just in order to prevent them seeming emphatic* 

There are two lines along which parents should move in 
having the child accept and assimilate the physical sex qualities 
wholesomely. In the first place, they can use the general facts of 
nature to clothe and take the uniqueness out of these human facts. 
He can be m.ade to sec by pictures, by actual examination of animals, 
and by our description of them that there are ordinarily tv/o kinds 
among the higher aniinals, - dogs, robins ^ chickens, horses, and deer 
as well as in humans* These differences in color, size, plumage, 
horns, shipe of body, in habits and tcrrpcr, and in the sex organs 
themselves should be noticed, and something of their value to the 
species told. The differences between men and women can be made 
naturally to take their place beside these animal differences. Doing 
this of course expla ins nothing; but it is almost as satisfying to the 
child as an explanation, to place particular things, along with others, 
under a general heading. For example, a yoxmgstor may think it strange 
thai his big sister and her beau rather prefer their ovm society to 
his and to that of the rest of the family. It maj'' help reconcile him, 
for a while at least, to their preferences, if his attention is called 
to other pairs of young people on the street and in the pirks. Some 
day he will want the whole thing explained; but this is a convenient 
resting place, as well as a starting point from which the full ex- 
planation can better be made later on. 

In the second place, the physical sex differences between 
the male and female members of the family should not stand out alonc^ 
or oven as the most important differences between them. They should 
at once be connected ^7ith the other differences that he has got used 
to and is now taking for granted. He should be invited to think up 
all the differences he can find* For exa-mplo, - differences in names 
(father, mother, sister and brother); in size, hairiness, and the way 
the hair is worn; differences in clothing, in the work they do about 
the house and in the community; differences in temperament, voice, and 
in relation to the children and their care, can be enlarged upon, 
partially explained, and easily made to swallow up the differences 
that we have dreaded to confront. Such treatment leaves little for 
an imagination to grow excited or morbid over. Even more important 
Still it makes sex whole som e by making it complete; and in proportion 
as the child's mother and father have really v/on his respect and 
affection, his notions of sex are permanently given a lifting and 
educational meaning by being associated first,,, of all wAth them and 
their work in the family life. Just how much more this means for 
future life than to have the first ideas of sex full of the per- 
versities of the street we can well imagine. 



202^ 
Project 4t The facts of human reproduction, which must be brought 
To use to the child soonor or later can be approached in either 
cffectivoiy of tv;o ways: directly ^ through the close incidents of 
the general his own beginning; or indirectly , vdth q. preparation in 
beginnings the study of reproduction in some animals and plants. 
of life. In either event these two groups of facts should be mado 

to connect vvith one another : and the general facts of 

reproduction should illustrate and absorb his own parti-' 
cular case, either before or after that is explained to him. The 
writer feels that there are advantages either way, and it is, from the 
teaching point of view, about an evej toss, which comes first, if both 
are done v/ell. The indirect way may be more systematic; the direct is 
certainly more natural and closer to the Child's knowledge and interest. 
There is, however, a pretty general feeling on the part of parents and 
teachers for some way to "load up to" the human facts. 

In helping the child sec the genei'al way in y/hich new 
life begins we arc wanting not raeroly to g!ive him a bacl^round of 
knowledge; we are trying to prepare the eniotions and sentiments of 
the child to accept and absorb without shock the discovery of his own 
birth. V/o want to infuse a certain flavor of poetry, sons© of wonder, 
and a feeling of esthetic satisfaction in regard to the general method 
of reproduction. The present project does not call for any mention 
of fertilization or other work of the male. Parents will find that 
the very young child can be satisfied for a period, and be given the 
attitude we have referred to, by revealing the mother's v;ork. It is 
not good character education to glut the market with tlTri lis before 
they can be assimilated and used to best advantagel Anf premature 
leads should be consciously reserved for the best psyclTtological tirao. 
Unless we suggest it, the child probably will not sens^ at this stage 
any need of adding the complicating element of- fatherhood. 

Reproduction in the etrawberry by runners (or by seeds), 
in the Oak or apple; in fishes or frogs in which the eggs are laid in 
the .water; in birds in which eggs are laid and hatchiiid; in dfl^gs and 
cows in which the eggs arc kept in the body and the baby anirn;ils are 
brought to our sight by being "born" instead of bei:ig hatched^ - can ." 
be made, into a series , v/hich will keep the child int'^rosted for weeks. . . 
The things to make plain and interpret are the raotlsor organist^s* ways 
of giving a part of herself to tlj^' young, and of ciring for thf young 
until it can shift for itself. V/o really have here a rofi:^rkabVe series 
of events and relations in showing up motherhood did in fe-ottind the 
full emotional acceptance of it ly the. child as a fine ai-rangerctiit. 
Perhaps, as a matter of technic the terms "seed" tvd "eif^.^" can be 
used somewhat interchangeably in passing from plaht to animal illus- 
trations. It is quite as possible, however, to Cfiticipate and us«5 
the term "babies" (plant and animal) from the beginning. There is 
absolutely no point in demanding scientific accu r acy of terms, if it 
complicates the project. Thur? are many interesting little books 
which undertake to put thoso simple biological facts in simple form 
for the aid of parents. 



203. 
Project 5: Children naturallj'' tend to raise questions about their 
How to use o^m origin or about the coming of new babies. The pro- 
his own ceding project may be used as a first step in the ansv;er 
origin and to this question; or may be used to arouse the question 
birth; the if it has not bccn asked. Most children, having an 
mother's effective account of plant and animal production of young, 
part. will naturally begin to inquire about the human situation, 

AgaiTi- the mere facts, even of human birth, are easy 

enough to give; but wc are seeking by way of this situa- 
tion very much more than the information. 17e very well can, and we 
want to, build up in the child certain permanent tastes, attitudes and 
habits in relation to his mother and the family life, which are in- 
finitely more important for character than the Imowlcdge. On the other 
hand the Imowledge does not necessarily \/ork these desired results. 
It can be, and usually is, so given as to produce nothing of value 
v/hatsoever. 

Let us assume that there is a boy of 4 to 6 years and a 
nev/ child is coming into the family. The first step in this project 
should be taken by the mother. She should take the child into her 
confidence, as a part of a real family secret in which he is as much 
interested as any one. She should tell him that the ^^ef;g^^ or "baby" 
is developing in a special organ in her abdomen; that this arrangement 
keeps the egg v/arm so that it can grov; rapidly „ furnishes it with 
food from her own blood instead of having food stored in the egg it- 
self as in the chick, and makes it safe from any ordinary danger. 
In man and the other hairy animals the young is as safe as the mother 
herself. This costs the mother something. Wo cannot honestly get 
something for nothing. She should tell him that he came in the same 
way; hov; she felt about his coming, looked forward to it, and pre- 
pared for it; how the doctor at the right time helped him to the 
outside world by way of the passage for that purpose. The mother 
should watch for the effect of the story and dv/ell on those points 
which tend to arouse his feelings of wonder and affection and partner- 
ship with his mother, without any morbid dv;elling on any part of it. 
His own interest, both selfish and unselfish, in the nev/ baby should 
be developed, and thus he should be prepared both to expect pleasure 
and to assume some responsibility as one of the older members of the 
family. Finally the conversation should pass off lightly to the 
many mothers and little babies and to the pride of mothers as these 
grow up to be fine boys and girls, and thus relieve o,ny personal 
tension that may exist. 

The next part of the project belongs to the father. No 
one can make of it what the right sort of a father can. He should 
repeat the general story, or get the boy to, and thus correct any 
misunderstandings that may have arisen. Then the father should give 
the boy a little, - not too much, - understanding of the sacrifice 
the mother is making, of the fact that she is sure to . ive some 
trying times, of hov/ she must take care of "nerself both for her own 
sake and the baby's, of why she cannot do her usual \/ork as v;ell and 
as comfortably as before; and a little some-thing, nicely adjusted to 
the little fellov/»s temperament, of the pain at the end and of the 
father's own and mother's happiness v/hen all is v;ell over. It is 
quite important that this interpretation of events shall be emotionally 



204. 
right. We want him to appreciate his mother and motherhood, but we 
do not want b-vy unnecessary or morbid fears or tensions. 

This now creates an ideal educational situation for the 
boy, for 6 or 8 months, in which a remarkable partnership of father 
and son is possible. Together, the father and boy ought to worK: out 
a conspiracy of affection and a program of consideration for the 
mother for the period. IJo preaching is necessary. There is a good 
combination of interest, emotion, motives, and chances of doing 
something to express these, which can be graded perfectly to the 
child's ability. The child's part should not be made so heavy as to 
overcome his fine purposes. The father should "spell" him wherever 
it is necessary. Both father and mother should see that he is 
rewarded by appreciation and approval, and these should be shovm i". 
such ways as best to meet the disposition of the particu].ar child. 

There is no question that such an opportunity well 
used would not only give the boy information he ought to have, but can 
be made to give him the beginnings of an attitude of manly considera- 
tion to\vard his ovm mother, toward motherhood, toward the home, and 
toward v/omanhood in general, which is the very essence of the husband, 
the father and the gentleman. 

The average person of mature years can readily contrast 
this program v^/ith what usually happens in the family \mder these cir- 
cumstances I 

For the sake of effectiveness v/e have given ourselves 
the best possible setting. This cannot always be had. However, the 
same principles can be used, ''/henever there is a birth among the 
child's acquaintances, the information can be given, as applying to 
his ovm birth and what his mother did for him. Of course gratitude 
is a more slippery motive than anticipation; and yet, if the father 
has the proper chivalry tov/ard the mother and enough magnetism to 
make it a bit contagious, a little practice school in the art of 
being a gentleman can well grov/ out of the revelation. His love 
and gratitude toward the mother, the being in partnership v/ith the 
father, and the full comfort and approval of both will go a long way 
toward furnishing motives for what we want him to be and do. 

In all this v;e must not expect the impossible. This 
is as bad as not expecting enough. Such an Bpi.':;ode is only a beginning. 
It must be followed up with a convincing, continuous family life. We 
often expect more of our children than v;e ourselves are v/illing to feel 
or to practice. Possibly the effort to make the most of such incidents 
for the boy or girl might enrich and guide the life of the father and 
mother as we 11 1 



Project 6: The old patriarchal notion that the chief end of home 
To get a relations is to "bring children to the point where they 
democratic "ooey" their parents without (Question, whatever the 
attitude nature of the demand, dies hard; hut, if sound sense 
in the ever comes to anything in human relations, it will die 
home and none the less. If v/e are wise we are rather seeking 
elsewhere. children who will consider all the factors in a situa- 

tion, including our %7ishes and opinions, and will have 

v/ithin themselves the disposition and power to deter- 
mine and do the right thing. It is the function of parents to guide 
children to the point v;here they can make wise choices; hut all our 
experience shows us that it ruins a large part of our rav/ material if 
we autocratically and dogmatically force our children into an out- 
ward appearance of obedience through commands and fear, on the one 
hand, or loosely let them go their ov/n gait at the other extrone. 
Some parents try to corahine these two impossible ways by using them 
alternately. This too is foredoomed fo failure. V/hat v;e want in the 
home is real democracy . - not tyranny or anarchy. This means that 
everybody is a riartner in the enterprise, accepting responsibility and 
giving service in proportion to his ability, and sharing in the returns 
and satisfactions in proportion to his needs and development. In most 
homes the children are either serfs or masters, controlled capcrciously 
with alternating severity and laxity. Democrats cannot be produced 
under such conditions, nor can the spirit of democracy. 

It is peculiarly necessary that this democratic spirit 

and method shall obtairi in the home if parents are to get over to their 

children their views and hopes about sex life; and this spirit: must 
be established early in the child's life. 

In a word the spirit of democracy (as defined above) can 
be developed only by the practice of dcmoc~£ cy« under conditions in 
v/hich real democracy is always rewarded by all the appreciation and 
satisfactions which th<j group can bestow , and failure alv/avs shuts one 
out from these satisfactions . The reason v.'e have no democracy in our 
modern industry, politics, government, or society is that we place the 
keenest rev;ards upon those vfao most persistentl-^ and successfully re- 
fuse the democratic principle of service in proportion to a,bility, and 
substitute for it the principle of exploitation and selfish profits in 
proportion to ability. 

This project is a lif e -pro.ject. and means that parents 
shall give themselves unreservedly to guiding their children in every- 
thing, consistently, by graded steps, with full respect to their 
abilities and motives, but gradually moulding these by the joint con- 
sent of parents and children, thus getting sane conduct and the love 
and habit of it as the by-product of these ideals and attitudes openly 
and sympathetically arrived at. There is no part of human character 
in which the democratic spirit is so important and rewarding as in the 
use and guidance of the sex impulses. 



E06; 
Project 7: In project 4, ve purposely ignored the part of the male 
To make in reproduction in order that the part of the mother 
best use might be used, uncomplicated by other considerations, 
of the to got an appreciative attitude on the part of the child 
father's The father's part is very much less obvious and more 
part in complex, although no less real or important. In order 
the propa- to bring in this additional factor readily and usefully 
gation wo must go back to the materials of projects 3 and 4. 
of life. Since in most animals there are tv.'o kinds, female and 
male, it is easy, when the child is old enough to under- 
stand, to suggest that both sexes have something to do 
in reproduction of the young as well as in the care of the mother and 
the babies. 

In getting a start for this raJiny people begin with some 
sort of flowers, in which the pistils with the undeveloped "seeds" 
(ovules, or eggs) stand for the "mother" part and the stamens with the 
pollen stand for the "father" part. We may use the chestnut or the 
corn or the oak flowers, in which the ovule is in one flower and the 
pollen in another; or wo may use the more common type of flower, as 
a lilly or wild rose, in v/hich both sexes are produced in a single 
flower. What the child will need to know is that the mother egg (or 
"ssed", or "baby") of the plant v/ill not grow unless something from 
the pollen (the father side) unites with ("fertilizes") it. Something 
of the growth and power of germination of corn grains, beans, acorns, 
and the like, after fertilization, may be shown. 

Then one may pass on to animals and explain how, after 
the mother fish or frog lays her eggs, they would never grow unless 
the father fish poured the fine "milt" or sperm over them. 

Personally, hov/ever, the v/riter believes that better 
results can be had by beginning the animal studies with birds instead 
of 'fishes. Here the work of the father is not a mere matter of 
fertilizing the egg, and we can give a much better general impression 
of fatherhood. It is not necessary in birds to start the story with 
the act of fertilization. V7o can better introduce the subject by 
v;ay of the differences bet^'/een the father and moth:r in color, size, 
and in song and other behavior during the nesting season. IVe can 
emphasize the attention and devotion of the father to the mother as 
shovm by singing, bringing food for her, and in keeping general v;atch 
for enemies, even if he does not happen to help in sitting on the 
eggs, as some male birds do. His fighting alongside the female when 
the nest or the young are in danger is worth mentioning. All this 
serves as a kind of brief for the character of the father, and also 
tends to prevent the single fact of fertilization from standing out, 
and holding too vivid a place in the child's imagination. 

Passing on from this and the act of fertilization in 
flowers, Y/e can use hen's egg to show how the real egg (yolk) v;hen 
laid is completely covered up by the sticky "white", and by both a 
soft and a hard shell. The growing part of the egg^ which can be 
pointed out in a broken egg, being inside these could not possibly 
be reached and fertilized l^j the sperm unless the sperm can arrive 



207 
"before the coats are put on. This means that the sperm must he 
placed in the mother's body "before the egg is covered. The father 
not only must furnish the sperm, as all fathers do; he must place 
it where it can reach the egg. Then comes his ^7ork of protectizig 
hoth mother and young. The hen (or any other "bird) can lay an egg 
that we can eat v;hen there is no father hii'd; but nothing could ever 
grow from such an egg. 

After this start it is effective to go back to the 
fishes and frogs and show how, with the eggs laid in the v/ater, the 
father does little more than come around at the right time and pour 
out the sperm, or "milt", over them. The child can be caused to 
see that there is here not much of the kind of "fathering" he knows 
about in his own home, or has learned about from the birds. He thus 
has a kind of standard of comparison and discrimination, which can 
legitimately be made to carry a certain amount of prefersace for the 
birds, - and establish a "taste " with respect to fathers, - with a 
rational and utilitarian as well as an emotional basis I 

Next we pass to the mammals, or milk-giving animals. 
The story can be made more concrete and vivid if the family has farm 
animals or the child has pet rabbits or a cat or dog. The child 
should again hear stories, if he cannot see the animals themselves, 
of how the bull and the moose and the lion and others fight to protect 
their mates and young; how they develop weapons and dispositions that 
help in this fighting; and hov/ in some cases these animals group 
themselves in packs or herds and thus get still better protection. 
In all these animals the arrangement, as xve have seen in the human 
mother, is to keep the baby inside the mother for v/armth, for food 
and for protection. The eggs of these mothers, just as in the others 
we have studied, cannot develop into "babies" without being fertilized. 
For these reasons all mammal fathers also must place their sperm inside 
the body of the mother where the egg is to develop. There is no reason 
whatever, except in our ov/n mistaken squeamishness, why the location 
of these external male and female organs should not be pointed out to 
the child in any of the animals he knows. He already knovv'S something 
of the 'location of the organs in hramans and the scientific names for 
them, if \ve have beon following the general program suggested in this 
book. 

Project %':i If the most has been made of the animal material, the 
To get a average child will not only have guessed that human 
suitable fathers are needed in order that human mothers may have 
appreciation their babies, but v;ill also have a background for an 
of human admiration for the general role of fatherhood in its 
fatherhood, more social, altruistic and protective aspects. Just 

as it was best for the father, in project 5, to build 

up in the child the suitable state of mind about the 
mother and motherhood, so nor; the mother can most fully do a similar 
service for the father in the mind of the boy or girl. In this con>--.' 
nection she should review the various ways in which the males among 
the song birds and the higher mammals devote themselves to the 
females and to the young. Then she should shov/ how their own father. 



206. 



and the best fathers and husbands every^vhere, serve the family; how 
strength, courcge^ energy, patience, manliness, devotion, and sacrifice 
enter into the r/ork v/hich the husband and father do to make a heme and 
to give it safety and happiness; how he gets his real joy and feeling 
of success in life from this; hov/ she appreciates it and rejoices both 
in the devotion and the success; hov/ her work in child bearing and 
caring for the home matches up with his* Of course talk of this kihd 
will not have great value unless it is merely an accompaniment to a 
genuinely fine family life. No* a- great deal of explanation is neces- 
sary, if the home life is up to specifications; and yet we cannot 
expect the child unaided to pick up the full meaning of having a 
gentleman for a father. It requires some interpretation. For both 
boys and girls it is not too early to begin to build up ideals of what 
a human husband and father should be. This project should seek to do 
just that. 

It will be found that little need be explained to the 
child about the mechanical elements in fertilization in humans. 
Enough can be told to show that there is little difference between men 
and the animals in this; that the greatest difference is in these 
other human things that make the good home so much better place to 
live than any other place, 

project 9: Most of the projects already suggested have, as one of 
To crystal- their objects, been developing an understanding of, and 
lize ap- loyalty for, the home and family c The appreciation of 
preciation the mother and father and the development of a democratic 
and loyalty spirit in the family are special parts of this. The 
to the home, parents must, through the whole of this period as in all 

, ,, those periods that follow, consciously make the heme 

treatment and teaching beget this loyalty. The parents, 
as we have said, must do two things perpetually? 'iihey must de_qerv;e 
this appreciation in the first place, and in the secoiid they mast rip_t 
stand on t heir . d ignit: / and merely f ^emand it because they do deserve it. 
They must find ways, neither of preaching nor of indulgence nor of 
force, to win it. This sense of appreciation must be go': clear over, 
not merely into the intellectual life of the child but into the very 
fabric of its feelings, emotions, satisfactions and habits. 

It is not easy to explain this vdthout writing a whole 
chapter on the subject, which speace v/ill not allow. It raears that 
the home, without even the appearance of coddling favoritism, or the 
protection of the child from its own v/rong choices, must convince the 
child that his home is satisfying his real nee ds a"'. 1 ''.hroug h the years 
better than can be done an yw here else . This peihaps is not so hard 
to do with the young chiia, before it sees more of life and comes to 
its more complex and even conflicting desires and expressions. But 
now is the time to set the attitude of appreciation. This demandc of 
the parents real love and sympathy, understanding of the child, constant 
fairness and frankness along v/ith justice, perpetuaJ adjustmeHit to the 
changing needs and moods of the child, unending pacienae and the sacri- 
fice of the ease which might be where no children are, In a word this 
is a matter of organizing all the personal and material elements in the 
home to insure the natural satisfaction and happiness of the child when 
it makes right adjustments, and equally to insure dissatisfaction and 



209, 



regret when the choices are unwise; and to do both in such a v/ay that 
the child shall not be able to question the v/isdora or devotion of the 
home. It is a life-project, .including everything else ! Fe\7 thing?s 
will so steady the sex life of the y out h later as .just this feeling 
of. pride and loyalty in the character of his ovm parents and home . 



•- The Early School Period (6 or 6 to 12) 

Project lOj It is not enough for either health or character that 
To estab- children should be v/oll watched and cared for in the 
lish matter of health. By the time they are eight years 
standards of age, or even earlier* they should have some definite 
and habits Acleas about health and its comforts, some standards of . 
of health their o\Tn, and certain habits of health and fitness, 
and along with the beginnings of a certain intolerance of 
fitness. preventable sictaiess or weakness. If they are normally 

healthy children they should come to feel that any pain 

or distress or sickness is the result of ignorance or 
carelessnESS or uncontrol of somebody ; This reqiiircg that the parent", 
shall not only allow the child to get, within limits, the pains and 
dissatisfactions of its bad choices, but also help the child to see, 
wherever the connection is clear, v;hat choices have produced the ill 
results. This means equally that they should not be continually 
making false and impossible e^cplanations of these connections. 

By a policy of appreciating and commending, i^ satisfying 
wa's, good health in the children and the acts which naturally lead 
tov/ard it, coupled with normal care and teaching and example, parents 
can create a desire for fitness and thus give their admonitions more 
than a theoretical value. Habits of health can only come from practice 
of health and the appreciation of its rewards. This theory and peactice 
of health should include cleanliness, exercise, sleep, resting ^vhen 
weary, taking plenty of water and wholesome food, abstaining from water 
and food of questionable kind and place, timely rolief of bladder and 
bowels, restraint from experimenting v.'ith or injuring the sex organs. 
The value of early, not morbid , self inter-'jst in health goes far beyond 
the mere health and comfort of body. It is a part of the enlightened 
habit of self-control v/hich is one of the main foundations of clharacter. 
It is a mistake to think we can postpone training in such controls in 
the simple relations of early childhood and readily pick them up as 
they are needed later in relation to sex and other powerful motives. 
However, those attitudes and controls must always come, whatever the 
age, through conviction and preference rather than by. force. In this 
general project of health should be included cleanliness of the genitals 
and a protection of them from accident or misuse, - as the organs of 
manhood and womanhood. 



ao. 



Project 11; Play is the normal expression of the child. Play is to 
To utilize the child what the avocational, voluntary tasK: is to the 
the play man. It is something which carries its oivn rewards and 
motives and is done for its own sake, U?he consequence is that it is 
impulses the most wholehearted,, and lience most educative, thing 
for the child does» To say that we mature people must see 

character that it is rightly instead of wrongly educative does not 
education. mean that v/e are to standardize and formalize and take 

the joy; out of his individual and social play and games. 

It means, quite on the contrary, that v.'c are to help him 
devise new and more interesting ways to play, that these shall be made 
plastic and developing instead of cloying, that we help arrange the 
rules of the game so that his satisfaction and discomfort shall not 
depend on whim and chance but upon the fairness, honesty, and earnest- 
ness that he puts into it. Play should incidentally, and yet with 
conscious pleasure to the child, bring vigor of body, zest for and 
skill in action, clearness of mind, sportsmanlike attitude of fairness 
and honor, and a distaste for cheating and other bad results of much 
of our competitive and commercialized sports. This may mean in part 
scientifically and psychologically "supervised play", - meaning that 
it is built for maximum possibilities of individual expression, is 
conducted with greatest chances for social happiness and constrcative 
character, and offers the least temptation and chance for dishonesty 
or other selfishness until the child has good standards of sportsman- 
ship. In other words it means developing a gentleman at play by 
means of plaving . 

This project may mean also that parents and teachers, or 
community leaders in this kind of education, not merely "supervise" 
play but play wi th the children-, This is not so easy a little later, 
as older children will detect the artificiality in it; but at this 
early age older friends can not only delight their children by re- 
laxing in order to play v.lth them; they can very quickly stamp upon 
the play the natural rules of sportsmanship by their own attitude of 
mingled enthusiasm and consideration which makes the sportsman. 
There are few elements of enthusiasm, initiative, skill, efficiency, 
self-mastery, team-play, honor, democracy, and service to which play 
may not be made to minister. Miilo such play is even more important 
later, the beginnings of these attitudes should be sought early. 
A fuller discussion of recreation will be found in Part 14, chapter 3. 

Project 12: Considering the ignorance of the young child about the 
To guide things he should Icnow and his unending curiosity and 
and desire to find out these very things, the parents and 

develop ' teachers of younger children have an unsurpassed chance 
the experi- to develop earDv in life a right attitude about learning 
mental or and about r^hat ;we call ths "sQieptlfic " spirit and method 
"trial and in respect to his own life affairs. Th^r-. are those- who 
error" seem to think the sessence of this method of learning 

is for on^ to plunge into all sorts of "trial and error" 

experimentation in order to get at the truth by elimin- 
ating all the chance errors. Doubtless before anybody had learned 



211, 
anything this was the solo way to learn, 0"ur children must still learn 
many simple things in this way. As applied to the more important prob- 
lems of our children, however, surrounded as they arc by the results 
of out past experiments, the thing wa v^ant for them is that they learn 
early to apply to their ov/n oxpcrimcnts human experience and reason . 
If we put this in a scries of steps, this means encouraging the child 
himself, 1) to raise freely all possible questions and problems that 
interest him; 2) to uae the help of more experienced friends in finding 
the most suitable ways to solve the problems he has raised (sometimes 
this will be by ways of direct information as to facts, sometimes by 
reference to books or other authorities, sometimes it should be the v;ay 
of downright guided experiment); 3) to gut th; necessary facts by the 
most thorough observation and experiment that he (and his helpers) can 
devise; 4) to compare and v/cigh the various facts discovered in order 
to determine which are the important; and v/hich the unimportant f ac .;s 
in the case; 5) to reach his conclusions and make his choices of action 
on the basis of the more important facts rather than of his feelings; 
and 6) to hold this conclusion opon-mindedly, subject to being revised 
by new experiment or new information from ar^y source* 

This "inductive method" is perhaps the most important acd 
valuable single intellectual discovery of the human race. The next 
most importai-it, possibly^ is that wo can save time by not rcpeatilng 
for ourselves the full steps of the method in evers^ conclusicn ; or in 
other words that we can profit by the conclusions of those v/ho have 
experimented before us. Uniting these two ideas means that we shall 
neither accept uncritically the opinions of the past nor on the other 
hand ignore them and learn everything by our own experiments. Com- 
bined judiciously, these two principles of learning are capable of 
leading the race, and the child, into perpetual progress of intellec- 
tual growth. Parents and teachers however are very much disposed to 
substitute the latter method for the former and try merely to put .; . 
knowledge or opinion over on the child. The result of doing this is 
that we destroy the tendency to experiment, the ability to weigh and 
discriminate, and even the desire to raise questions and the disposi- 
tion to test opinions. To lose these faculties is fatal to progress. 

All this means that it is the clear duty of parents and 
teachers in the early life of the child to guide and trd n him in the 
experimental method, properly combined with the method of teaching from 
experience . This can be done only by actual and frequent practice in 
the steps of the method on the part of the child, V/henever the child 
starts on the task of solving a problem by actual investigation and 
discovery, the teacher should find ways to keep him interested in it 
until he has got all the facts he can get in this way, and should thee 
lead him pleasurably over the steps {eniiraerated above) by which a 
wise conclusion may be reached, - and then in no case make his conclu - 
sion for him , but encourage him to do it. If the teacher knows the 
conclusion reached is unsound because of prejudice, incomplete kno\7- 
ledge, wrong v/eighing of the facts, etc., he should help the child 
start on a retesting of the conclusion, not merely correct it by 
authority. By doine: this in connection with some of the more inter - 
esting daily problems and in a way that keeps and rewards the inter **- 
•est of the child , a parent or teacher can gradually give children a 
scientific "taste" or preference about all the issues of life, which 



J 



212, 
is of the iitmost value « Our ordinary method of treating the child 
kills his interest and initiative in raising or solving problems, 
before he reaches high school; and even if v;e succeed there or in the 
college in getting him to use the scientific method in the scientific 
laboratory, he leaves it behind when he quits the laboratory and thinkt. 
it has nothing to do with his character and decisions in life. As a 
result, human character and behavior are not scientifically built but 
are largely irrational and unscientific and controlled by lower desires 
and prejudices. The sot toward this non-rational control of life is 
given our children in early life by our own unscientific treatment of 
them. V/e might just as readily build up a genuine scientific attiti.de 
toward the life relations. It is easy to see how this spirit would aid 
youth in making his sex decisions wisely. 

Projtct 13: Of course the meaning of manliness or womanliness is a 
To estab- different thing to boys or girls of different ages, and it 
lish early should be a growing thing all through life. Due to their 
ideas, associations with older people, if these are happy, and 
desire and to their dramatic imagination, it is very possible early 
ideals of to inspire children with the v;ish to be men and women 
manliness and to assume something of the spirit of these ambitions 
and woman- ahead of time. Of course what we must strive to get is 
liness, that they shall take on in practice at a given period only 

that part of the; ideal which is suitable for the time , 

together v/ith the ambition to keep right up to date in the 
matter, all the way along, with a lot of pleasure both in their present 
practice of manliness and as they see it in their anticipations. V/e 
must atroid the caricature which would arise from a 12~year old boy 
trying to assume the qualities of a mature man. 

The first step is to create the desire. This is to be 
accomplished by bringing the children into contact with somewhat older 
people of their own sex v/ho have fine, inspiring qualities, in such 
a way as to arouse their interest, admiration and affection. For the 
average boy or girl nature will do the rest, ^his should be supple- 
mented by intelligent convincing propaganda in respect to vital human 
traits. The next step' is to convince them that they can become just 
about what they want to bej that they alone can insure this; and that 
they must take on some of \i/hat they finally want to be now, and then 
grow in manliness and womanliness continually. The third step is 
systematically to develop somewhat definite ideas and standards of the 
kind of men and women they want to be, by giving them a touch of bio- 
graphies suited to their age. These may come from real life or from 
fiction. These should include both "horrible" (but real ) examples, 
as well as those suitable for .imitation. The fourth and most difficult 
and vital task of all is to get them to accept in practice just that 
part of the idea which is implied at their present age. The manliness 
of the period just ahead is much more likely to appeal to the boy than 
that whioh belongs to his o-mi timei Manliness for a boy of this early 
school age is not a very "spiritual" or even melodramatic thing. It 
probably ought not to have much of the 'Q'atmtleroy" quality; and yet in 
avoiding this there is no occasion at any ago to go to thu other extreme 
and give the boy the feeling that to be manly means to be a "rough-neck". 



There is plenty of good territory betv/een these extremes, V/e sha3 1 
probably serve the boy of this age best if we can couple the idea of 
manliness with strength, courage, self-reliance, skill, enterprise, 
versatility, fairness and honor, reliability, and a positive distaste 
for v/hat is mean and snealcing. He should think primarily of what these 
qualities mean as they relate him to other boys in play and in school 
work, both those stronger and those weaker than himself; to his mother 
and sisters; and to his family and his "gang", as the groups closest 
to him. Of course we know that all this means "boyishness "? But it 
is better to have him know that boyishness is merely "manliness" at his 
age . Finally, v^e must see that he gets all the premiums of satisfaction 
and joy out of being manly which he thought he would have* both in 
reward for his effort and as an incentive to keep up the game. 

For the most part, we have meant by "womanly'* to cut ov.'c 
most of the things mentioned above as manly, and to substitute gentle- 
ness, modesty to the point of diffidence, neatness, refraining from 
activities that tend .to be rough or boisterous. An ti -boyishness is 
iiot the essence of womanliness for the girl. At this age we want to 
get good substantial human qualities. It isn't the time for strong 
differentiation* My impression is that these somewhat premature things 
will fade away from our ideas of womanliness for a girl, and we shall 
want her to strike for just about the same qualities that are mentioned 
above for. the boy, and shall train the girls by verj^ much the same kind 
of practices as v/c; prescribe for boys. Any difference from the other 
which either sex needs at this age will probably come somewhat auto - 
matically , by association v/ith and unconscious imitation of the grown- 
ups of their respective aexes. There is always likely to be too much, 
rather than too little, of this imposing our adult qualities prematurely. 
Womanliness is very different from the "lady-likeness" of the past. 

In later periods of puberty and adolescence manliness and 
womanliness (which are of course sex conceptions and sex terras through 
and through, and belong to the whole of life) will naturally begin to 
diverge from one another more and more, especially in their onotional 
and esthetic elements, though not in the fundamental features of sound 
human character and conduct, There are enough important and positively 
attractive elements in both of these ideas, of manliness and womanliness, 
in each of the stages of youthful development, to motivate the purposes 
of girls and boys alike, if we will only see that the children are not 
robbed of the appeal of these ideas by artificial otmventions and re- 
straints, and are rewarded by our confidence and our enthusiasm in 
their efforts and successes. Anything of worthv;hile character that we 
can get our girls and boys to adopt which is true to these two terms, 
is sex training of the very most vital sort, even though the term 
sex may never bo mentioned. 



•214, 

Project 14: V/hilc naturally the plans for life will be more definite 
To make in later years and will exert still more influence then, 
full use this period and the next are not too early to get the child to 
of the .• bcgiji to look ahead to the kind of life and relations 
aspira~ he wants to have later. The important thing is not that 
tions and they should hit upon exactly the most probable or satis- 
purposes tory future plans, - vv'hether it bo to go to the circus 
of life. next year, to surprise mother with something nice at 

Christmas, to win the essay prize in Junior high, to 

••make" the team, to go to boarding school, to be a 
street-car conductori to sing like Jenny Lind, ar to be a Red-Cross 
nurse or the Pr'esident of something. The valuable thing is to form 
the attitude and habit of looking ahead, of considering the future in 
guiding -present conduct , of doing without things nov; to got more 
desirable things later , of comparing the attractive objects and goals . 
_and of applying the "scientific , method^* in choosipg them * In a word, 
this project is to develop character bv some conscious and voluntary 
choices and by control of the factors of life rather than by merely 
"jkaking things as they come". This attitude and habit will be pecu- 
liarly valuable when applied later to sex choices and behavior. But 
in order to be available then, the child must have been convinced 
of the value and pleasure of such looks ahead and have some practice 
and reward in exercising present control in order to realize later 
plans and aspirations. 

To train children in doing this sort of thing includes,- 
1) delecting various future goals that really appeal to them now all 
along the road; 2) seeing that these objectives are not impossible ones 
nor too far away in time; 3) keeping the interest and anticipation 
alive by having some of these goals "coming due " frer^uently, so that 
the child will not forfeit his goal by "breaking training" and will 
be continually getting a premium of pleasure out of his mastery; and 
4) seeing that full satisfaction for the sacrifices comes whenever any 
goal is actually gained. This is the prime value of being adult as 
we enter upon such training of our children:- we can >nake the conditions 
of the experiment such that we can control and insure the reward, ~ 
favorable or unfavorable as conditions demand. Of course the whole 
value, from the present point of view, is lost if either the expected 
reward comes when the conditions haven't been observed, or if it fails 
to come when the game has been played according to rule. (Of course 
it may be necessary to teach the child that thinp:s in life do not 
always come out as v;e anticipate, and so to endure disappointment 
heiTOically; but that is another story, and plenty of opportunities 
will arise to give that lessonl ) 

Project 15: There is something to be said in support of the view 
To help a that it is not possible under the conditions of the 
girl be present, and without the use of diplomacy, to make a .. '* 
glad she girl genuinely glad that she is a girl rather than a 
is a girl. boy. In so far as this is true, it means either 
1) that nature has given the female such a less satis- 
factory fole in life that we cannot by taking thought 
(or v;e will not take the necessary thought) give her an equally 



215, 
pleasurable career v/ith the male; or 2) that v/e, in a situation where 
the sexes are naturally equal, have given to boys and men the more 
stimulating and enjoyable opportunities by artificial conventions and 
limitations. In either event, fairness, honor and sportsmanship de- 
mand that the conditions of life between the sexes must be adjusted 
so that the girl can honestly, if she does not nov; have, and will, o^ 
the average, get as much pleasure in growing up through girlhood and 
in the anticipations of womanhood as a boy can get in his development. 
Furthermore, this equality, to be genuine, must be positive and in- 
herent in her own merit and efforts, and not in ary degree take the 
passive form of making her the pampered plaything of men and a soft 
and idle parasite on male sex desires. This latter is a kind of 
artificial "consolation" prize, which v;e have given to women to com- 
pensate for the social limitations we put upon theui. In so far as it 
exists it is the most degrading blot on the sex relationships of men 
and women. 

In n^r opinion, if there is any such handicap for v/omen, 
it is conventional and not basically natural or necessary. Aside from 
the more sacrificing biological f\mctions of reproduction and care of 
young, which are exclusively hers and impose upon her certain real 
physical handicaps (accompanied however by certain high emotional 
satisfactions which men do not share), and perhaps on the average, a 
somewhat less keen physical sex satisfaction, there seems to be no 
essential reason v;hy the feminine joys for the whole of life may not 
be made as positive, keen, varied, and alluring as those of the males, 

V*hen we examine the conventions Vv'e shall have to adm.it that 
some of these do unnecessarily handicap the life of girls and women and 
produce inequality of social and personal freedom for the sexes. Some 
of the more far reaching and powerful of these may be listed as follows s 

1) There has been a-disposition to allov; to girls, during 
early girlhood only those interests and activities in which boys do not 
care to indulge. We have assumed that active sex differentiations in 
emotions and interests take place early in life, To be interested in 
active and vigorous ventures has been stamped as "un-lady-like". In 
this way v/e have denied her the common childhood opportunity to enjoy 
the activities that have no real relation to sex, or such pleasures 
have been enjoyed rebelliously or surreptitiously by girls. The states 
of mind imparted to the girl by these early conventional limitations 
often continue over into maturer girlhood either as a kind of sex 
snobbery and aloofness or as a hesitation and fear of going fully about 
the business of being a free, friendly, self-reliant, and happy person. 

2) The handicaps of the menstrual situation may be very- 
real to the girl who has not been prepared to understand and to accept 
the pubertal changes as the most outstanding mark of her special 
feminine powers and privileges. There are certain days in the month 
when, for example, the average civilized girl is somewhat more 
limited in the freedom of physical pursuits, even if the matter has 
been so well presented to her that her emotional attitude toward the 
function is right. Unless she can find real compensations, this 
situation may impress her as unfair. 



3) Our social custom of demanding that the girl of ■*• 
adolescent age cannot initiate human, friendly relations, but must 
content herself with accepting, or vetoing proffered friendships and 
s^ssociations v/ith the other sex, unless she would run the I'isk of 
being classed as '"forward", is a definite limitation and without 
doubt often leads to a sense of unfairness and to unhappiness and 
rebellion. Hiis same conventional limitation is upon women in some 
degree in the most important problem., of all human life, namely, the 
selection of a mate, 

4) There have been and are still many entirely unneces- 
sary restrictions upon the personal and social experiences of mature 
married (as well as unmarried) women as they seek a career. These 
inequalities ri?late to many human relations, - as rights in propertyj 
in home control, in chance for personal iiitercst and expression or 
for professional usefulness outaidc the home, in political and other 
organized forms of effort that give variety and zest to life. Neither 
the routine and drudgery of continuous homo making nor the tawdry and 
artificial amusements and make-believe social activities can supply 
this necessity. 

Owing to the splendid fight v/hich woinen have been 
making during the last half century a part of the limitations of 
the fourth class is rapidly passing. The third is very complex, 
and is probably the most difficult and important of them all. 
But the first two are the considerations which most concern us now, 
in our task of giving the young girl as groat a confidence in her 
sex as the boy can have in his. This project in its fullness ex- 
tends from the period of childhood into late adolescence and on 
into maturity, but it will be limited here to early life. 

Briefly, then, v/e must make our girls glad they arc 
girls without trying to v/ork up an artificial antagonism to certain 
boyish interests and attitudes, by way of a sense of the super- 
ficial differences which v;e have formerly striven to get in our 
girls. For example, vjc have referred to those "dirty", "rude", 
and "noisy" boys, - or merely to "boys" in a tone which means all 
this and more. In doing tiis we have used precociously and un- 
socially, I thin^c, the differences of the sexes. There is no 
gain at this time of stressing the differences. As a matter of 
fact there is cLuite enough natural esprit among both boys and girlf 
at this homosexual period automatically to develop and fix the .:. i; 
differences as much as nueds to be done. V/e should rather cultivate 
unconsciousness of sex and emphasize, for boys and girls alike 
during this time, all the ideas and activities which will give them 
the common human endowments of health, strength, interests, both 
lively and broad, courage, initiative, skill, self-control, honesty, 
fair-dealing, and the like. To do this we must leave ourselves free 



217, 



to hold up before them during their childhood and irrespective of 
SOX., all the forms of stimulation, interest, arausomcnt, play, sports, 
hobhies, ^adventure, reading, associations, friendships, and other 
kinds of self-expression normal to human beings of their age « All 
restrictions should be rather on the basis of individual capacities, 
tast'js :,nd needs than on sex. I have been trying to say that most 
of the boyish interests and satisfactions v/hich v/ould ever make 
a girl at this age want to be a boy can be intrinsically just as 
open to girls as to boys, and more and more they must become so in 
practice. The v;ay to make the girl satisfied v^ith her sex at this 
age is to remove all the unnecessary conventions that have choked 
her prepubertal life. This is not so much a matter of teaching as 
it is of furnishing opport-unities and in training the girls to make 
the most full and healthy use of them. The way to make a girl go 
beyond this and take a positive added pleasure in her girlhood is 
to begin to revoal and interpret to her sanely but optimistically 
the distinotive famininc incentives, expressions, and satisfactions 
that promise for th. future, - and at their best yield, - forms 
of happiness more distinctly human than any v;hich males can have. 
Of course this needs to be done ^vithout mushiness, and be coupled 
with her o\7n purpose and success in progressing along the route of 
womanly development. This should be one of the permanent and pro- 
gressive aims all through girlhood. Of course, this should not be 
done in such a way as to produce the antagonism or the "superiority 
complex" referred to above but as a basis for future understanding and 
cooperation v;ith the other sex, and with some exaltation of spirit in 
the thought of trusteeship for the race. 

Perhaps it is a moot question whether we shall ever 
bo able both to magnify to v/oracn the special satisfactions and duties 
of her sex and reproductive functions and to ©pen up to her the full 
social, political and professional careers of men. It seems as though 
there is an unavoidable conflict, at least to the degree that the 
average woman cannot have both to the full at once. vVhatevcr may 
be true here it is not a dilemma that needs distress the girls before 
adolescence. It would sc:m the wise thing to show the girl the 
normal womanly function and mak- hor rejoice in her capacities; show 
her the alternatives she has, if she should not choose this v/ay or 
find it open to her; and in the meantime do everything we can to 
give to the single woman a perfectly open field to any career her 
capacities may make hor equal to, and to make available for every 
home-maker such supplementary intellectual stimuli and social 
opportunities as will make unnecessary either the imbecile pottering 
about details of house-keeping or the equally imbecile social devices 
commonly adopted to employ the time of idle women. 



218. 
ghe Junior High School Age; Period of Puberty 

Project 16: Much of our efforts to educate children of this age, - not 

To use the merely in matters of sex and chsjracter, -' fails because i"- is — i 

differences not sufficiently concrete. One way of mailing sex development 

between big concrete is by definitely mraparing the small boy (or girl) 

and little of the early years of the junior high .jidhcol age (before puberty) 

boys or with larger ones of the senior high school, - for the benefit 

girls. and from the point of (sriew of course of the younger boy and 

girl. !Ihis enterprise has the very distinct advantage that the 

small boy is looking admiringly ahead ^-, of ten in spite of a 
good deal of badgering, - toward the big boy. Some part of what we see in 
schools and elsewhere as "gagging" is accepted by the smaller child because 
of this admiration. Boys, particularly, undress freely enough together to 
make it possible to call attention to the chief changes in the body at .this 
time, 'flie point is that the small boy ordinarily sees some of the differen- 
ces and just thinks of them as belonging to age and size , or if they are 
connected with sex in his thought the connection is likdly to be obscure or 
to be misunderstood. Ihis is about the time the small boy. should begin to 
understand the general meaning of these changes of body, genitals, hair, •■ 
voice, etc., as a part of his ovm manly growth, and connect them up specifi- 
cally with his earlier information about male and female differences and 
general development. 

In a sircilar v/ay the smaller boy should be msjde to observe and 
to understand the changes in interests snd in general behavior and asso- 
ciations of the boys just ahead of him in development, and he helped to 
form opinions as to whether they are sanely solving their problems in a 
manly way* It will be easire now for him to form standards and to see 
and judge the discrepancies and appreciate the triumphs of the older boys 
than when he gets to the heat of the same choices hiragelf; and \,hen he 
does come to these choices, his earlier taste, attitude and ejipression 
in the matter will help him see his own problems a little from the out- 
side as well as from within. If the small boy is left alone in these 
comparisons he is likely to take it for granted that the big boy is 
right ^d is to be imitated uncritically* Our task is to give a critical 
attitude, without destroying the admiration for the more mature boy . Ihere 
is no better self prepajration we can make in the V7ay of character end 
behavior for boys than just this of measuring consciously the older boy. It 
is highly prophylactic and broadening, 

V.'hat is said above about boys is probably true, in at least a 
large degree, of girls; and can be used in a similar v;ay. 

Project 17: The steps and changes in the child's individual development at 
2b: use the puberty and adolescence can and should be made still more per- 
facts of sonal and concrete. The child himself will soon be going that 

individual way, and the object of all our teaching is that he may under- 
sex deve- stand and have the spirit to guide himself well during this 
lopment. time. This is just the time, therefore, to show the boy or 

girl how and why he is destined to follow in the steps of the 

older brother or sister or chum. There are no more impressive 
facts in the whole range of human biology than those about the influence 
of the internal secretions ( hormones or endocrines ) which are produced in 
GoniRection vath the sex organs of both males and females. Ihis is the most 
valuable time for children to have the remarkable reomance in which the 
influence of the sex cells shov;s itself. The story of their oxm. life 



< 



219. 
should go bade £3id shmv, - (1), hov; they wore fol:'ns;d said ho\; their se:r cxid 
othor qualities \vero inlieritcd from the comhinp.tion of egg and sperm; (2), 
how tiieir sex elenients nere soon put apnrt from the strictly body olerrents, 
but still v/ithin the body; (3), how these sex cells (naturally mrJe or 
female in tendency) by their influence helped to develop their male t id 
female genitals r.nd general sex characteristics before birth, have been 
©pratin;^ somewhat conspicuously during childhood, and are now ready 
actively to produce the special characteristics ond powers qC body, mind 
and disposition which the bigger boys arni. girls are showing, and v/hicli 
tliey have seen all along in their mothers rnd fathers; and (4), how these 
mental and social diffei-ences, produced by the sex secretions, attract 
boys ?nd girls and ircn md women to each other and mr^'Ko possible our homes, 
families, and society as we imow it. 

J dhese facts caiinot be repeated at length here4 They arc brief- 

ly hinted in Chapters 1,2,4,7 of PaJ?t II, and in other books included in 
the general references. Ihc way these hormones, going to all ports of the 
system, influence growth at remote regions should be illustrated by 
referring to some of the striking differences bet\7eon ma,le and female 
animals, in organs, voice, disposition; ajid to the effects which castra- 
tion and grafting the sex glands have upon tliese qualities. Ihis work 
can best be done by thje schools, imless the parents are willing to prepare 
themselves fully for the task* llhe course in biology, physiology, hygiene, 
and physical education ai'o suitable to carry it» 

It is very important in this project that the parent or teacher 
shall not be satisfied vath the facts alone important and suggestive as •. . 
they are, Ihrough the human interpretation of tliem the diild should be led 
to'iOpj^iy them to his own development and to appreciate that healthy develop- 
ment and conservation of the very desirable sex po\xrs and functions are 
as much a matter of happiness, duty, end choice as is the possession of 
sound digestion, vigorous muscles, courage, knov/ledge, or athletic 
skill, Fvirthcrm.ore children should be made to see how health and fitness 
at this point are tied up with health, success and happiness in most of 
the human things he is interested in. 

Project 18. Usually \/e older people find it ratlier harassing to keep up 
So use the with the quick exhaustion of a subject and chaaige of interest l 
fickleness in children and early adolescentse With great pains we fit thei? 
and change- out v/ith what they think they want and soon the v;hole lay^-out 
ableness of is entirely out of date, and the boy or girl is as enthusiasti- 
interest in cally seeking a wholly different thingl V/e can see by the 
youth. vay in which children shift their g.oiies from season to season 
and come back fresh to tlie old favorites that the tiling goes 

by ebb and flov/, and in longer or shorter cycles. This is not 
a sign of wealoiess, now; it is a kind of trying out, a sign of vaJriety in 
interest, and a basis of selection of interests, - a means of developing 
breath and versatility, - a real God-sent to the alert educator of char- 
acter. 

If we want to contribute to character \:o must lend ourselves 
to this situation and use it* Ihe attitude of the teacher and parent 
should be to study the tendency and to take advantage of it in order to 
get the child acquainted with, and somewhat skilled in, as maJtiy as is 
convenient of the wholesome and vividly engrossing things to which a young 
boy or girl can turn attention. Of course v/e sliould sec that he looxnsf 
step by step, to compare these interests, to apply tlie scientific method in 



selecting them, and gradually to give more time to some tlian to others 
and thus to "build up a group of the most attractive and valuable as his 
special hobbies through adolescent life. In a word, these easy fluc- 
tuations of enthusiasm give the best possible ' tfesis for the exploratijn 
and selection of goals in the use of leisure time and of excess energy, - 
a most important item in gent^ral character education. (See also Pro- 
jects 11 and 12). Of course, as time passes v/e lend our influence tact- 
fully to secure power and attitude of concentration, of interest, and of 
continuous effort upon certain interests. We want to use this ficide- 
ness v/ithout permane:itly fixing it. 

This is related to sex training and behavior by the fact 
that the boy or girl \;ho has numerous v/holesome, active interests and 
hobbies is more likely to be healthy in body and mind, and thus less 
inclined toward morbid and perverse sex practices; and at the same time 
to have less time and energy to fall into them. Furthermore when the 
days of love and courtship come such training as this will furnish 
other human interests which combine wholesomely with the sex motives 
to produce poise and sense of proportion. Boys and girls trained alike 
in the love of the great natural forms of expression will continue to 
enjoy them in connection v-ith thdir courtship, 

Project 19: During the first ten years of life children are individual, 
To use the rather than social, in their interests and games. Even 
"Gang", as v/hen they play together, there is not much team-play, 
transitional One of the very real problems of early life is to enable 
from the child to pass readily and happily from the more selfish 
individual individual stage into an attitude and habit of cooperation, 
to social where consideration and "give and take" must prevail. The 
attitudes, "gang" is the result of a davming of definite social in- 

. teres t a,nd attraction; and the fact that boys prefer to 

run with boys and girls with girls is a choice growing 
out of their normal sex development. This means not raerely that boys 
and girls have not yet discovered each other. It is a positive attraction 
wi thin the sex. This sex attraction may, as v;e know, become excessive 
and perverse, and may linger abnormally long after childhood; but in it- 
self betv;een members of the same sex it is a normal, natural sex 
attraction, 

We have come in recent years to recognize the value of 
such natural, self-selected group of boys or girls which are formed 
through this impulse, for social, moral road religious instruction, - 
whether in Sunday schools or in the various boys' and girls' clubs. 
As boys j,nd girls are thus adopting the social attitudes, interests, 
obligations and loyalties, along lines of least resistance within their 
natural groupings, it i^ the very time and occasion to even up and soli- 
dify the sex knov;ledge -^xid attitudes that have been amphasized thus far 
from the point of viev/ of the individual boy or girl. The appropriate 
maturer person, perhaps a young person of their o\m sex of college age, 
can do much to create a group sense and standard of manliness aitid fitness 
by appealing to the boys in the spirit of gang public opinion 3.nd loyalty. 
In doing this he should niake the most of the individual facts of sex de- 
velopment, manliness, v/omanliness, courage, adventure, loyalty, honor and 
fair play; and show how these qxialities are nov; making their group attract- 
ive, how the lack of them ivould at once break up their association, and' 
how these very things will through life better enable them to command the 
regard of their ovm sex. 



i 



221. 

It is very importrxnt at this point that the homo of the boy 
Of girl fully recognizes ?nd uses tliis gang attraction, ©lo hor.c cliould be 
open to the niemtiers of the gaJig. Indeed one or tv/o at a time they sliould 
be invited and made one of the house group. Occasionally invite the whole 
club, ond give them tha time of their lives. Help tliem place their orgrn- 
zation. Respect their secrets. Help tiicn; devise initiations. Parents 
CGh do nothing i/hich v;ill so ncke the home seem worth while. 

project 20; Ilhe"gang" of boys or* girls comes together, as ve have seen, 
to use the under a sexual attraction v^hich prefers persons of the seme sex* 
"gang i' as O^iis love of one's o\m se:: very largely e::cludes thovight or cpro 
a means of of the other se:^:. Indeed boys md girls while under the spell 
transition of these e::clusive grouj loyalties, may feel even a land of 
to whole- nntagonian tox7ard the otlier sex. All of this aedns to have 
some sex some definiif;e social v?Jue in that it tends to prevent a pre«- 
sociaL mature and too active interest of one sex in the other, Hever*- 
attitudes, tlieless this temporary exclusiveness should not be artificially 
exaggerated by the elders into sex siiobbislniess. 

During late puberty, or in middle adolescence, there ougtit to 
begin a v/holesorae turning of the consciousness of the boys ond girls each 
toward the other. It is valuable in m?jny ways that this consciousness of 
the other sex should at first tal^e a somewhat general form rather thaii a 
too definite stampede of individual boys and girls tow-rd one rnother, To 
molze this consciousness toXo this general rather thou antoo i^ighly personal 
form at the outset, the eajrly adolescent boy and girl groups may be brouglit 
together in amusements, games, end other under taicings ^jtiich ■ oall for inild 
cooperation; or even with some competition, in vjiich tiiere are crvents so 
adjusted to the paJ^-ticuLir strong points of each sex as to gil?e ueitlaer rxi 
unfair advantage,* Parties or dmces or exliibitiona given by one group in 
honor of the other couple the guest-host rela,tion v/ith the sex relation, 
ond also allows the beginnings of aocial contacts v/ithout mailing siiy indi- 
vidual boy or girl too rrsponsibl'; for any other. Or both sex groups 
may be brought togcthor as guests by a family, or by older college men 
and women, or by a suitable organization conc.rnod with yoiing people 
Coupled with some explanation to each sex group of the meaning of these 
davming interests and a new magnification of oar old ideals of manliness 
and womanliness in the treatment of the other sex, such group associa- 
tions arc greatly worth while. There is furthermore a distinct <cain in 
presenting these standards to th^ group rathv;r than to the individual 
at this stage, because w.. can thus avail oursclv?s of the mass 
emotional psychology, 

Tha goal of this project is to introduce the individual 
to the other sex along with the r' st of his group , so that the whole 
matter may not take on a too personal aspect, and so that a boy will 
not stand out as the target of attack and teasing by his fellows as 
he would if he were to associate with girls without them. This iso- 
lation of the individual from his group at such a time arouses sex 
consciousness unnecessarily and often \anwholcsoraely. Contacts between 
boys and girls in this somewhat wholesale waj by classes, or societies, 
or clubs is a most desirable intermediate step in sex relations between 
mutual neglect and individu.il lovemaking. Personal sex attractions ' 
between individual adolescent boys and girls are likely to be much more 
wholesome if these group ideals and attitudes have been soundly built. 



222, 
Project 21i During this p&riod, if not .In the preceding, the general 
To use problems and methods of physical health and growth ought 
physical to te made very concrete and personal. It is not enough 
exorcise that the child bo taught what is good, nor yet, that he 
and exercise arid live somewhat blindly by rule of tiittmb. 

measure- Those must in some way be connected closely with each boy»s. 
mcnts ambition to be a man, and the girl's hope tb be an attract- 
cducativcly. ivo woman. Of course manhood and womanhood should not bo 

. allov;ed to be merely a matter of physical perfection; but 

this is a very good starting point for a healthy, success- 
ful life. To this end certain standard measur'-m';nts should be made of 
every child; he or she should be led to see how these measurements 
compare with normal children of similar ago, ho should be shovm what 
kind of exorcises, games, and living will enable him to overcome his 
deficiencies and bring about good all-round development; he should ug 
encouraged, interested and led into talcing up this task of reaching 
his manly (or womanly) physical perfection; should be reexamined each half 
year or so and shovm how he is succeeding or failing. In some such way 
as this a physical director, or physician, or some one guided by these, 
can bring the boys or girls to an intelligent interest in their ovm 
growth, and use this to educate them both in v/hat they may expect of 
■themselves and in the moans by which they may get what they v/ant. This 
of course can and must be done in such a v;ay as not to develop any 
morbid attitudes about their health. 

Some educators feel there is dant:^er of this merely from 
such regular attention as that outlined above. Certainly if it is 
dona intelligently there is no more danger of injury from this than 
there is from the occasional mental t'-^sts which most schools arc giving, • 
Both physical and mental measurements arc capable of much more effective 
use in training character than we havu' yet made of them, if we would 
only find ways to connect them with objectives And ambitions in life 
less superficial than "grades" and "passing". The essential task hero 
is to. connect those steps of development with the sex goals of genuine 
manliness and v/omanliness. That is to say, few boys and girls aro 
sufficiently interested in health or perfection as an abstract thing to 
pursue the necessary regimen iaading to sound body and character. On 
the other hand there ar :■ few boys or girls who can resist the threefold 
practical appeal that can bo made about 1) their o\vn desires and hopes 
of manhood or womanhood; 2) the desire not to fall behind what may be 
taken as normal progress each year, if they only knov: what that should 
be; and 3) the zest of play and sportsmanship which the wise physical 
guide can suggest as the moans of reaching these goals of male and 
fcmalo perfection and attractiveness in body and mind, 

Project 22; In a sense attr-tctivoness is included under the ideal of 
To use the "womanliness", ^'hich wo hxvo already considered in the 
girl's wish preceding pins^aet. However, without drawing anything 
to be from this full conception and purpose of woinanliness, it 
"attractive", is worth v'hilo, because of its keen interest to the 

average girl, to deal with attractiveness as a special 

ambition. At this age girls are likely, v/hethcr they 
have begun to think much of the boys as individuals or not, to be very 
much concerned with their general appearance, dress, hair, and the 
liko. No group of girls ought to be allowed to go through this stage 



223, 
Of feminine intei'est without having some wjLsg . ^o^^^ matron go care- 
fully over the whole question v;ith them. The object is to establish 
in their mind a full and natural j rather than a partial or pious, 
idea of the nature and uses of her attractiveness. Such a teacher can 
tegin '.vherever the girls happen to "be most interested, and finally raakb 
them confront the most vital phages of the question. The following 
series of questions and topics will serve to illustrate what could be 
done in a Bionday School classy a girls' club, or in any other such 
girls' group, by a suitable person; - V/hat are the things that go to 
make a girl look attractive? How handle the clothes? The hair, the 
complexion, the nails, the mouth and teeth? wTiat attractiveness can 
come from natural health, and exercise? How much is inherited? Hoxv 
much not? VVhat is added by the artificial care? V/"hat effect has 
facial expression, gesture and speech upon attractiveness? ^^at 
determines smiles or frowns or giggles? V/hat part does courtesy and 
good will play? Is appearance the only element in attractiveness? 
Is this enough to hold our friends? Miat other things count? Are 
things like voice, "manners", disposition, temper, though tfulness, 
consideration, truthfulness, reliability inherited or can they be 
culti'^rated? IVhat is the use in being attractive anyway? Why do we 
care to be attractive? Vt/hat kinds of attractiveness are most likely 
to bring the most happiness and lasting satisfaction to oneself? 
To other? Is there really any practical connection between these? 
What are the most satisfying qualities (to you) that you find in 
other people? In other girls? In boy friends? What kinds of 
attractiveness are most likely to hold friends? V/hile one is thus 
developing the simpler forms of attractiveness of body cannot one 
just as well add, consciously and carefully, those more lasting kinds, 
so as to have both? Is there any conflict between them? As you look 
at the mature women of ya^.ir church or neighborhood, or your teachers, 
what are the qualities you like most in them? ViTiat mature men in the 
community seem most admirable? What are the things that make them so? 
What kinds of boys grow into this sort of men? What do you like to 
see in boys? 

Such a teacher in a year's time could, without preaching 
or dogmatism, help the girls establish standards and ideals of personal 
attractiveness in body and character which would be of great value to 
them at once, and which they would carry into family and social life. 
And this v;ould be infinitely more valuable than a year given to Jewish 
history or to Paul's letters by a giggling group of school girls who 
are thinking of little but how to "make themselves attractive". 

This project is only a sample of scores of others which 
border closely on the sex impulses and relations and v;hich the teacher 
of insight can treat in a similar spirit. Samples of these are, - 
friendships between the sexes, good times, how to entertain friends, 
the social conventions and etiquette, good taste in social relations, 
familiarities and liberties, the influence of right minded girls upc;n 
their men friends or vice versa, and and attitude of adolescent boys 
and girls to their homes and parents. 



J 



-• E24, 
The Period of Adolescence (High School and College Age) 

Project 23: Boys differ greatly in the age at v/hich their first 
To use a conscious love for a girl, or an older v/oman, begins, 
boy's first It may occur back in the preceding period, before any 
loves. definite physical sex desires appear. Such a stituation, 

v;hich is ordinarily an occasion for sarcasm and cheap 

humor on the part of elders, can and ought to be used 
for very definite results in the boy's character and his attitude 
toward matters of sex. Probably there is no episode of early life 
v/hich better illustrates hon' stupidly parents and friends of the boy 
or girl misuse their opportunities for constructive education. 

The project should always be adjusted closely to the 
actual conditions* The manifestations will differ r/ith age. V/ith 
the boy of high school age there is likely to some active courtship 
and love making. V/ith the younger boy it v;ill be much more round- 
about and secret. It may even involve a great aloofness from the 
loved object and require the services of a go-betv/c^en. Vilhenever and 
however it occurs, it is a peculiarly favorable opvjortunity for the 
parents to help the youth. 

The usual teasing and facetious ref-^rences to the boy's 
awakened interest in the girl produce two very de-finiteHy hurtful 
results. In the first place he is led to feel thfit his parents regard 
sex and sex-relations as funny and as a subject for jesting. The 
facetious treatment of sex is the handmaid of vulgarity in respect to 
sex. In the second place, he will sense more or less fully youii in- 
justice to him and vdll increasingly resent it and will withdraw 
emotionally from you. His instincts in doing so are perfectly right. 
You are both barring the way tov/ard his developraemt and closing the 
door of confidence, which you ought rather to be striving in every 
v;ay to keep open. Indeed parents can afford to {(O much out of their 
way to enlarge and enrich the sympathetic under sV.ariding between 
themselves and their children at this period of Uheir lives. 

The father should firmly restrain |;is mirth and meet 
the occasion about as follows: He should go baoW in thought to his 
own first love, and in spirit be something of c *)oy again; he should 
find informal ways (if he has not such relations with his boy already) 
when they are alone together, to ref^r tactfully to the boy's new 
devotion; he should cortfess to his son something of his first love, 
hov; he felt about it, hovi there was nothing cc-j-r^e or gross in his 
attitude, hov^ this love made him v/ant to protect th: girl from any- 
thing evil whether it came from himself or another; he should show 
the son how this v;as the beginning of the very tjiing that he now 
feels for the boy's mother; he should assure the boy that the high 
and clean feeling he how has is not something fxjKtiny or utcpian, but 
is the real thing, and that he has never before been so truly his 
real self; he should suggest how life and experi^ence, if he remains 
true to himself, will ripen this love into the i*inest relations v;e 
humans know; he should show how all the courtesy and gentleness and ■ 
chivalry which the gentleman feels toward his nither and sister and 
toward women in general grov; immediately out of this which the boy 



now feels, The father may suggest that these early loves do not 
always last, but that the hoy can make permanent the finest things 
of this love and "bring these to every sweetheart he has. Thus he 
will always have a gratitude for this first sv/eetheart. 

In an entirely similar spirit the mother ought to make 
her contribution to him. Probably there will never be another chance » 
until the boy is engaged or married, to have these things interpreted 
to him by a clean, mature woman; and his spirit is now peculiarly fit 
to receive such an interpretation as his mother can give. She should 
reveal to the boy hov; a fine girl or v;oman feels about the devotion of 
the right sort of man, and in what spirit she holds and prepares her 
life for this. She should use the boy's desire for constancy and 
faithfulness on the part of his sweetheart to let him see how happincs.'j 
can grow out of mutual faithfulness and cleanness. She should tell 
him something too about the inner physical development of the girl of 
this age, which is running parallel to the inner development in hie 
own case. He should be made to see the bearing of the physical develop- 
ment upon love and life and happiness. 

This project does not call for imorali zing, and exhorting. 
We only need to reveal and to interpret instead of to ridicule, in 
order to make the most of it. The corresponding project of making 
the most of early love on the part of the girl is entirely parallel 
and similar, but calls for some modification adjusted to her special 
emotional psychology. 

Project 24: There is always a question in the minds of teachers 
To use the whether boys and girls should be given to understand 
facts about the sex development of the other sex, and to v/hat degree, 
the develop- It appears to the v/riter that some appreciation of both 
ment of the the parallelism and the differences of development should 
other sex. come during early or middle adolescence. It is desirable 

in order both to prevent ingrov/ing curiosity on the STib- 

ject and to aid in an intelligent and practical adjustment 
of the mutual ideals and conduct of boys and girls during this difficult 
period. If they can be brought to appreciate whv and how each sex is 
inevitably being prepared for its mature functions and place in social 
life, and that these differences are not blind difference of fate, or 
of mere individual whim and caprice, young people will be in a position 
to study and prize, rather than resent, the situation xvhich arises. 

Probably the very best occasion to learn profitably of 
these sex developments in connection with love has been indicated in 
the preceding project. If it can not be so favorably staged, still 
occasion ought to be found to do v;hat was indicated there. Probably 
the mother is the best person to do this, whether for boy or girl. 
If the mother is not fitted, then the most intimate and pr j zed elder 
friend of the same sex should undertake it. The best results in the 
project call for personal rather than professional agencies - the "big 
brother" or sister, the favorite teacher, the scout master, the uncle 
or aunt, rather than the class at school or at the church, or the 
medical adviser. Perhaps the general knowledge that should be imparted 
and the spirit in xvhich it should be interpreted are sufficiently 



225 



226, 



indicated ■ in Project 23. Each should be made to understand the 
principal physical changes taking place in the other, hov; the internal 
secretions operate to bring these about, the changes in the feelings, 
interests, ambitions, the results of these in bringing the sexes to- 
gether, the somev/hat volcanic and fickle emotional life which may grow 
out of these inner changes, the safest ways for the .young people to 
adjust themselves to one another and get the best from one another 
without. mortgaging their v/hole future happiness and honor. 

Project 25: If the follovv'ors of Freud are right in thinking that at 
To prevent least a main root of a feeling of hujnor about any topic 
■aex be- arises because we have: made an escape from some re- 
coming a pressions wo have suffered in relation to that subject, 
funny or then we may charge up the strong tendency to find sex 
vulgar joke, a funny thing to the reticence, taboos, . and repressions 

. which have long been associated' with the idea. V/e have 

seen before that one result of our avoiding to uSe freely 
the great facts about sex has been to vulgarize the subject by driving 
the interested person to deal with the subject secretly and too often 
grossly. This has resulted not alone in misapprehensions and false 
emphasis, but in actually standardizing vulgar conceptions as the 
normal contents of the idea of sex and as a supreme form of humor. 

Clearly, insofar as this diagnosis points correctly, we 
must do two things if v;e are to overcome this acceptance of sex as 
funny and to diminish the pleasure in vulgar interpretations of sex, - 
which are joint products of the same perverse situation. In the 
first place we must remove the repressions, insofar as this can be 
done, by a thoroughly scientific, fine, wholesome, and aboveboard 
treatment of sex as it relates to human life. This is one of the 
.basic reasons for sex education, - to get the freedom that comes 
from truth and from the understanding of it. Supplementing this we 
must educate taste and preference in relation to the kind of emphasis 
that may be put upon sex. How can v/e develop a taste in youth, which 
prefers fine views of sex and distrusts and revolts from coarse and 
vulgar views of sex? Apparently it is exactly the same problem as 
the development of likes and avei-sions, preferences, and tastes about 
food, literature, or anything else. It is primarily an emotional and 
esthetic rather than an ethical cuestion, 

Taste always grows by what it feeds upon most happi?i.v . 
It is part of a "conditioned" reflex. It is a state of the feelings 
which "hangs over" from pleasure and satisfaction in arjT experience. 
If we can give the Imowledge referred to above, and can interpret 
step by step the meanings of these facts so that our interpretation 
can capture the imagination and thrill the emotions of the child 
pleasurably; if we can associate these happy feelings v/ith the viev;s, 
character, lives and influence of the friE:feds that the boy or girl 
admires most and gets most satisfaction in; if we can keep the whole 
high aspect of the subject associated with such comfortable inner 
feelings and with the aims and purposes he has accepted for his life,- 
we can build up the taste and attitude we want. By the reverse pro- 
cess we can help create a positive distaste for the opposite thing, - 
the vulgar story, the smutty allusion, and the lustful rounder. 
Clearly we cannot wait for adolescence to begin the formation of these 



1 



•227, 

tastes and preferences. We must begin at the beginning, as v/e v/ould 
if v;e wanted to determine- the child's taste for music or literature, 
and follov/ it through the whole of youth. Adolescence ho'.vever is a 
peculiarly sensitive time, and the testing time, for esthetic attitude^ 
about sex. See also Part III, chapter 2. 

Project 25: These are really some of the special emotional and in- 
To build up tellectual aspects of the quality of manliness, suggested 
and use earlier (Project 13), The foundations for them must be 
effectively laid early, and constantly builded on throughout youth* 
such atti- This time of life, however, is the time at v/hich the 
tudes as nature of the boy is most vigorously alive to these social 
sense of ideals, and at which his attitude is finally determined 
honor, for life. Particularly is this true as these ideals apply 
square deal to sex and sex relation. There are two elements which 
and chivalry, must enter into such teaching in order to make it effective. 
in the boy. The teaching must carry, from male soxirces in whose, ex- 

,. ' perience, vigor and fineness the boy must have the utmost 

confidence, the most fair and convincing statement and 
interpretation (both in words and life) of these manly qualities which 
combine both virility and self-restraint. Their relation to his ovm 
happiness, self-respect, acceptability, progress, and usefulness should 
be made satisfying to him. Ho must understand that all of them involve 
a conflict ■.'"between crude selfishness and the social spirit; that this 
may well be a difficult conflict; but that all the character and higher 
social progress human beings have gained have come through winning in 
just this conflict; and that it pays large dividends in satisfaction and 
happiness, if we really win in it. To win in this fight is exactly what 
humanity at its best means by the terms man and gentleman. 

In the second place, there should come to the boy through 
female sources , in just the same spirit, what real wcmen feel about a 
man v/ho has full individual strength, desires and ambition and can yet 
control these out of a spirit of honor, fairness, democracy and chivalry 
toward women. The average adolescent boy vlth a fair start in social 
education cannot wholly resist such a combined showing, particularly if 
it can be coupled with an understanding love for a sweetheart or a 
favorite sister. 



Project 27: 
To build up 
and use the 
right 
feminine 
qualities 
and atti- 
tudes in 
the girl. 



must underlie 



An emphasis and technic similar to that outlined in 
Project 26 can be used to develop corresponding and 
answering ideals, qualities and attitudes in girls* 
The t\vo projects might have been combined, but for the 
fact that these qualities of womanliness and manliness, 
in spite of their general similarity, do embrace certain 
distinctive elements. For example, girls quite as much 
as boys should achieve courage, initiative, ambition, 
fairness, honesty, honor, square-dealing, a democratic 
or non-exploiting attitude, and the liKe. These are 
himan rather than special sexual qualities; and yet they 
any fair sex attitude, - whether male or female. 



228, 



There are, however, certain peculiarly feminine qualities 
which either by nature or by conventions may match such male attitudes 
as restraint or passion for the mate, conversion of strength to tender- 
ness, chivalry, and protection of the vveak by the strcsng. For example, 
many biologists hold that there is a fundamental sense in V7hich the 
female has hereditarily more than the male, a function of conserving 
the racial characters. Certainly the carrying out of her special bio- 
logical function of reproduction and care of young puts her in a position 
of responsibility for conserving and passing on the best social results. 
Other such aspects of v/omanliness are, - an appreciation for male re- 
straint and chivalry vdthout any taint of losing personal independence 
by becoming parasitic upon strength; a sense of power over men by virtue 
of her attractiveness, v/ith an attitude of using this power for social 
rather than selfish ends. Translated into conventional terms which are 
passing somewhat out of modern use, these expressions include poise, a 
certain combination of modesty and strength in influencing the male, as 
chivalry includes a combination of strength and restraint, purity as a 
social obligation, a restraining rather than an inciting attitude tov/ard 
the male, and a sense of obligation for conserving life. 

As in the case of the boy, these qualities and ideas and 

attitudes should be interpreted to the girl both from the male and 

feimle points of viev; and by those persons who can do it most truly and 
convincingly. 

Project 28; A considerable percentage of adolescent young people can 
To use be approached both effectively and wholesomely through 
pride their normal social bonds. In their contacts with their 
effectively, families, their "gangs", their "sets", their clubs, fra- 

ternities, and the like, they acquire a certain respect 

and responsibility for the standards of the group. This 
is accompanied by a feeling of pride in these standards and a sense of 
loyalty to them. Most thoughtful people realize that any of these, 
from family pride to patriotism or sectarian zeal, is capable of misuse; 
but unless one is a complete anarchist, one also realizes that all 
social cohesion and progress that mean anything i-rest upon this spirit. 
Of course there are other emotions which associate with this bond, - 
as anxiety about being accepted, and fear of disapproval. These latter 
motives are negatively repressive, however, and cannot be used safely 
in a wholesale fashion for education. Pride in the standards and 
achievements of a group, on the contrary, is more objective and con- 
structive. It certainly can be used effectively to gain thoughtfulness, 
consideration, and self control in respect to sex. A fraternity man 
who might be unvalling, from a merely self-considering point of view, 
to lead a socially acceptable sex life may be given such pride in his 
family name or in his fraternity ideals and standing as to be quite 
willing to adopt the social point of viev/ and practice, 

A still more intimate and somewhat higher form of such 
pride may be built up about the future family that the young man or 
v/oman hopes to have. This loyalty to the requirements of these future 
relations is about the most fine and constructive form of pride which 
we can entertain. Its greatest practical value is during this late 
adolescent period. 



'229, 

Project 29: In project 23 an effort was made to use the emotional 
To use the state of a first love to introduce to the youth the 
period of meanings and possibilities of sex. Usually somewhat 
courtship. later than this incident comes the opportunity carried 

by actual courtship among youths and maidens. Of course 

these relations, which are fairly coni^ec ted with court- 
ship in its broadest sense, extend from mere casual acquaintance and 
flirtation to the most devoted and exclusive attachments and love 
making. Space will not allov/ us to take up each of the problems in- 
cluded in these sex relations of young people who are in the midst of 
their definite sex attractions and adjustments. Here would be included 
the spirit and technic of courtship, - as the problems of flirtation, 
kissing and other such liberties, questionable dancing, chaperonage» 
the general attitude of girls toward the young men of their acquaintance, 
the mutual "rights" or duties of parents and their children in these 
affairs, engagements and its privileges, and others of similar import. 
The most that can be done here is to indicate certain broad suggestions 
for the guidance of those yoiong people who want to make the most ®f 
their love life. 

This of course is the period of application and testing 
of the attitudes and ideals and knowledge already gained by youth, as 
v;ell as of the devotion, wisdom and tact of the parents and friends . 
of the young people. 

At its best this period of love and courtship brings, 
along with its stimulation of the physical sex yearnings, the most 
positive feeling of consideration for the other sex and the most open 
mind to the higher aims of social security and welfare which the boy 
or girl has yet had. Everything therefore points to the most per- 
suasive use of these unselfish and generous mofe ives at this time for 
their full educational and restraining value. 

Everything we Icnow about human experience convinces us 
that we cannot meet the needs of this time of life by preaching, 
commands, prohibitions, threats, - or, on the other hand, by neglect 
and merely leaving matters to take the natural course. The suggestions 
or appeals or guidance v.tiich we offer must be based on the confidences 
established through the whole of our past relations, must give a 
reasonable (to the youth) and constructive interpretation of the situa- 
tion in terms of his oun desires, tastes, aspirations, loves, ideals, 
motives, and powers. Unless by this time we have given him a democratic 
attitude which says that no one is entitled to any special privilege in 
sex which may not equally be open to all; unless we have given him, 
even more, the attitude of the generous gentleman who prefers not to 
claim even v.'hat might seem to him an equal share of "rights" for fear 
that he might take advantage of another; unless something of protection 
and chivalry and human service are in his philosophy of life, we shall 
find it impossible to make this period mean what it ought in the life 
of the boy or girl. Nevertheless we shall never again have so good a 
chance as this to make a final appeal for these attitudes. 

For the boy, probably the best test is to force him to 
apply to himself, in his relation vrith every girl, exactly the rules 
he would V7ant other men to apply in relation to the four women that 
come closest to his life,- his mother, sister, sweetheart or wife, and 



{ 



230. 

his daughter. These are his people, and he cannot justly claim for 
himself privileges which they may not claim, or which other men should 
not claim with them. For the gentleman, it makes no difference that a 
girl may be of a lower social level. For him indeed, the challenge 
for protection is greater in proportion as there is need of it. 

For the girl of equally generous training, perhaps the 
most valuable appeal relates to whether she shall act in such a way 
as to make a decent life easier or more difficult for her brothers, 
cousins, friends and sv/eethearts, by her attitude, dress, conversation 
and behavior. 

For boys and girls alike this period is the time to do 
everything we can to get the acceptance of some such spirit and pro^ra'a 
as this: To use the sex life in such a way as to run no risk of in- 
juring any one else in self respect or in respect to happiness, but 
rather to see that it shall build up the character of oneself and of 
other individuals and safeguard our best social institution, - the 
home. The stage of courtship should be used to crystallize this 
standard; and once having this standard and purpose fixed in them on 
high social ground the particular episodes of courtship may be left 
to the young people. 

Project 30: In part II, Chapter 3, an ideal was annoimced in relation 
To use to human sex conduct. Briefly this ideal was stated thuB:- 
wisely an abstinence on the part of both sexes before, and outside 
ideal of of, marriage; faithfulness of both sexes during marriage; 
continence. and temperance in marriage. No one claims that this ideal 

is reached by the majority of h\aman beings. The critics 

of this ideal say that this fact alone shows that this is 
not a "normal" human expectation or capacity. They claim that is 
would be more sane to admit that this extreme ideal cannot be made real, 
and then to set up ideals that are in reach of the average person and 
to bombine our resources to attain these lower but practicable ideals. 
They claim that the feeling of success following from reaching the 
lov/ered ideal would lead more rapidly to the gaining of the best results 
possible to humanity than the acceptance of the defeat which we how see 
in the higher per cent of failure to reach the higher impossible goal. 
It is also urged by some that humanity, even if it could thus control 
its sex expressions, cannot do so without producing emotional disorders 
which would be worse than the irregular sex expressions. This last 
ass-umption is, I think» a purely gratuitous and partisan one, based 
upon the fact that it has been shoxvn pqsg . i ble to repress sex expression 
in such an unwholesome v/ay as to produce such psychoses. It is quite 
as possible to build up psychoses through uncontrolled sex expression 
as through sex control. There is no adequate evidence that a decent 
regard for social cleanness is incompatible with individual emotional 
health for the averag** person who has been rightly educated in getting 
control by constructive methods. 

In this discussion, the view is consistently advanced 
that human beings have shown that such full sex control is a possible 
thing that can be healthfully and happily effected; that this has 'been. 
done in many cases in spite of the fact that no scientific educational 



technic has ever been generally applied to bring it atout; that we 
have no reason to doubt that a great majority of hviman beings are 
sufficiently alilte in this capacity to make this the normal expecta- 
tion under favorable educational conditions^ that it is both more 
logical and more practical to increase and improve the method of 
attaining high and wholesome standards of sex-social relations and 
control than it is to lov;er the standards to our present lack of 
spirit and technic. V/e have no more ground for hopefulness of pro- 
gress in sex control by ivay of lowering the sex demands of society, 
than if we were to try to reach a standard of social honesty and 
integrity by demanding honesty only up to 25 dollars in value, while 
granting progressive immunity from condemnation for stealing in- 
creasing amoijnts. The cynic might say that this is just what we have 
done in practice! However this is not quite what we have done in 
the case of robbery. V/e have rather said that the man who already has 
so much he doesn't need it may rob as a fine art, but we will not 
allow a man to steal for act\ial need. 

I believe that the general sense of humanity will con- 
tinue to insist upon ideals which are the best that we can in our best 
moods conceive as most beneficial, even though we turn, in our lowest 
moods, to conduct below them. V/e shall insist that our scientists 
find the best ways to have us struggle toward these goals, rather than 
devise specious reasons for leaving us without any distinctions which 
invite to a struggle for progress. And in such a demand humanity, in 
ray opinion, is wholly right. 

If v;e can justify thus an ideal of abstinence from sex 
gratification outside of marriage, for the sake both of the maximum 
confidence between mates, for the fullest happiness in marriage, and 
for the greatest development of the human fsmily, there is no other 
time in the life of young people when this appeal finds in them so 
much which responds as during adolescence. If the earlier education 
has been well graded and well done, a foundation has been laid upon 
which this ideal will rest comfortably. In such case we do not have 
a crude uncontrolled animal nature upon which foreign and Utopian 
human standards have been artificially superimposed; we have an under- 
standing of individxaal and social life v/hich goes as far as we can go 
to motivate healthfully the subordination of the animal and individual 
by the human and social. 

It is largely the purpose of sex education to give to 
humanity the chance to see whether we can be educated to the place 
where we will deny ourselves the privileges of ar.imal sex expression 
until the emotional, esthetic and ethical states of mind ratify the 
physical as leading to both the highest individual and the surest 
social goala. 



231, 



Chapter 10, Special gasks of the Various AgerxCies 



Tlie com- The discussion to date must at leact have convinced the 
plesity reader that sex and reproduction among human "beings are 
of the exceedingly complex in their nature, expressions, and 
problem. connections. It must be clear that v.'e cannot intelligent- 
ly meet the sex needs of ourselves and our children un- 
less we understand the sex qualities as they develop, 
the influence of sex upon the other important character elements, and 
the nature of the other qualities which in turn may combine with and 
influence the sex impulses. To imderctand these things calls for some 
knowledge of the facts and applications of biolog;^',, physiology, physical 
and mental hygiene, emotional psychology, social psychology, sociology 
and economics, anthropology and history, social morals, ethics, esthe- 
tics, religion, and educational philosophy and methods. 

The corol- From this it follov/s, as we have seen in Part I, that no 
laries one person or group of persons can have a sufficiently 
of this. large outlook or preparation to serve all the varied sex- 

social needs of a single growing child. ITo single agency 

can confidently assume the v;hole sex training of any 
individual, Iv'either, on the other hand, can it safely shirk its part 
of the responsibility to another agency. The educational approaches 
and influences must be as varied as the human traits that combine with 
sex and as the v/ays in v/hich sex exprejses itself personally and 
socially. The community is the smallest unit which meets this demand; 
and most communities can nov; do so only inadequately. 



How the This does not at all mean tl:£it the community as a unit 
conraunity must erect new and special community machinery to impart 
functions sex education either to adults or to young. It will 
in the be found that there are already agencies v/hich can do 
program, this v;ork, if they will only prepare themselves for it. 

The function of the coramuiiity is to select, stimulate and 

guide the individuals and agencies which can most effect- 
ively do the various aspects of the actual work; and particularly to 
give to each agaicy a conception of the whole scope of the problem as 
a community task, in place of the more or less artificially limited 
viev; and interest which it would naturally have. It is the function 
of the community, through any machinery it may erect, to help discover 
the part of t he program each agency can do and to sc^e that each group 
does the particular social h:/giene work i'.; is fiotea to do in full con - 



cciousner:: of 
community . 



its relation to all the rect of tl 



'ork done in the 



■The function 
of the 
agencies : 
general , 



'ully for itJ 



If these conceptions are sound, it is the function of 
each agency or group v/hich has any vital bearing on the 
development of young people to do its part as a community 
organ to develop a complete community conception of the 
whole problem, to discover in cooperation with others its 
ovm particular v;ork in solving the problem, to fit itself 
task, and, finally, to do its full part of the actual 



social hygiene education both of adults and of youth. In every case 



I 

i 



4 



233, 

this sex educational work should be a fully assimilated part of the 
program, and not be looked upon ac a special or foreign or isolated 
task. Sex har? been too much emphasized by isolation* 

Enumeration The social instrumentalities which ought to take part 

of the chief in this v/ork may be divided into t\7o groups:- the basic , 

agencieo v/hich may be found in practically all communities large 

concerned or small; and the special or supplementary , which are 

v;ith youth, ordinarily to be found best developed in the more cora- 

„,, plex and highly organized communities. It does not 

follow that the special agencies may be less serviceable 

in this work than the basic. 

Basic Under the first class may be included;- the home and 
agencies, family; the church and its schools; the secular schools 
and teachers; the physicians and other health agencies; 

the press; employers of young; and the local goverrment. 
In the second class would fall organized instruments for recreation, 
play, amusement, physical or mental or social or moral education, and 
the like. Examples of these would be the tlaeatres, movies, religious 

associations of young men and young women. Boy Scouts or 
Special Girl Scouts, Big Brother or Sister movements. Parent- 
agencies, Teachers' Associations, v;,C.T,U. , Federated 'Women's Clubs, 
. and many other of like spirit and effectiveness. Even 

lyceums and Chautauguas may be used as occasional agencies, 

It is the purpose of this chapter to consider the possible 
contribution \vhich representative types of these instrumentalities may 
make to the all-community program of social hygiene education. The , 
opportunity, limitations and necessary spirit of some of these agencies 
are suggested in Part I, Chapter 2. 

The part As has been sho\7n here and there through the disoueaio^, 
the fanily the parents and other members of the family, and the 
should general home atmosphere will be very powerful in in- 
naturally fluencing all the phases of character development, 
t^te. including sex. Taken altogether, the influence of the 

average home is more in respect to the emotional elements 

of character, such as tastes, likes and dislikes, pre- 
judices, disposition, attitudes, than in actual information. It is 
likewise powerful in fixing the habits of young people both of mind and 
behavior. These results grov/ up, whether we plan them or not, through 
the continuing routine of the home operations and the relations among 
the various members of the family. As we have seen, the family life 
is a v/elter not merely of human but of sex relations, at close range. 

Vi/hat the parents (and to less degree other adult members) 
must do if we are ever to have the best sex life for humanity is to 
learn for themselves to live enthusiastically an exemplary sex life in 
the home; to exert a normal and developing influence on their children 
in all that- pertains to sex; to fit themselves to interpret the family 
life to their children so that they will both understand and approve 
of it; and thus to cultivate deliberately the emotional states referred 
to above, as v/ell as the habits, both of purposing and acting, v/hich 
the child should get. They must learn also to give effectively that 
part of the knowledge of sex and reproduction which the child should 
have by the time it is 6 or 8 years old. See also Part II, Ghapt4P 4, 



234. 

The task of interpreting the meaning of the family life 
to the grov/ing child does not pass av/ay from the parents with the 
passing of this early age. At all the critical stages of the l3oy'B or 
girl's sex development, wherever a fuller knov/ledge of the home pur- 
poses will help him get his sex tastes and aspirations more adequately 
fixed, the parents ought to be ahle to give the help better than any 
one else. V/henever an extra effort wiH bind the boy or girl to the 
home ideal or to the parents as persons, a definite problem and duty 
rests upon the parents v/hich no one else can perform. 

The facts which parents can impart to best advantage 
relate to early habits, to the sex differences of boys and girls, to 
the first steps in nature knov/ledge as these throv/ light on the home, 
to the early questions of the children about the puzzle of life, to 
the rnle in life of mothers and fathers, to the nature of love between 
boys and girls, to ordinary courtesies of life and their place and 
value, - and in general those kinds of facts which ovight to come to 
the child and enter into his character in very small graded, oft- 
repeated fragments rather than as large or sudden revelations. Put 
in other words the parents are in better position than any other 
teachers to use the primary facts of sex delicately, gradually^ practic- 
ally, and in a way which tests out and respects every element in the 
child's emotional and intellectual progress. 

At the present time only a very small percent of parents 
are fitted to do this effectively. The practical task of the community, 
therefore, in relation to the family is to prepare present parents by 
every means to meet these obligations; to begin in the colleges and 
elsev/here to prepare mature young men and women for parenthood so that 
a larger percBstage of future homes will be equipped; to create a 
better public sentiment about the importance and the character of the 
home; and as opportunity offers, to reinforce in the minds of the 
children what the home has been trying to do for them. 

Tlie church We include here the church as an institution, and clergy- 
and the men as highly influential social leaders and teachers, 
clergy in Roughly the work that can be expected from these sources 
sex may be classed as follows:- 1) adopting and supporting 
education. certain sane conventions and standards of sex and family 

life in the very structure and tenets of the institution; 

2) public and popular instruction and appeal from the 
pulpit in reference to these ideals and standards; 3) personal in- 
struction, by the pastor to the limits of his actual powers and know- 
ledge of the subject of the parents and the young people of all ages 
in more concrete and detailed way than is possible in the pulpit; •. • 
4) active help in organizing and molding the community coordination 
of its social hygiene education; and 5) mobilizing and fitting the 
organized agencies of moral and religious education which are fostered 
by the church to take their full place in this v;ork. The degree to 
v;hich the church can do these things acceptably depends on the interest- 
and the actual mastery of the subject by the clergyman. Owing to lack 
of training in the seminaries there is no larger per cent of clergymen, 
than of other men, who know the educational mea: ing of sex well enough 
to use the subject successfully. The average clerg7,fraan of the present 
depends almost wholly on the idea of represcing the sex motive by the re- 
ligious motive, History shavs that this repression, standing alone, is not a satis- 



factory solution of the matter, i'he sicaation invitee the rexitil^vui} 
leader peculiarly to learn and to ucg the Ecientific foundations v/hich 
are gradually being organized for the sane and positive use of sex in 
character education. Such mastery v/ill not add new tasks; it will make 
him more able to meet those v;hich he ic now obliged to face With only 
partial equipment. 

The '.vork The schools or moral and religious eauoation, whether 
of the Sunday r.chools or ehdl on v/eek days, have a peculiarly 
religious vital place in any community program of social h^rgiene 
school. education. These are organized to begin v/ork r/ith 

children by the third or fourth year, and are becoming 

effectively graded for every period of youthful and 
mature life. The contribution of the Sunday schools to character 
education which involves sex may be thought of as embracing tv;o types: 
1) in all classes and in all grades and on all suitable occasions, 
^vorking consciously to strengthen and perfect the ideal of the home 
and family and to make people more intelligent about it and more loyal 
to it; and 2) the direct introduction, from time to time and for 
limited periods and in particularly favorable groups, of v,-ell organized 
and intensive studies of certain phases of the question suitable to the 
age and sex. Such special instruction can be introduced so as not to 
interfere with the general progress of young people through the regular 
scheduled course. The time taken should be determined entirely by the 
needs in each case. 

As examples of this latter type of work peculiarly suit- 
able to t:ie church school, the follaving may be instanced:- 

■ 1) A class of girls of early High scliool age could under- 
take such a study as that indicated in Part III, Chapter 9, Project 22 
of the nature and meaning of the girl's wish to be attractive, as 
introducing to the very important personal and social problems of this 
age. The moral, ethical and religious aspects of attractiveness in 
character and life are obvious. 

2) A similar class of HigJi School boys, conducted by a 
successful young man, could be greatly interested in a course of personal 
and social and moral ^^idance for boys in those practical ventures v;hich 
most appeal to them at the time. This v/ould include sex as it bears 
upon their livej . 

3) Separate classes of young women "-nd young men of 
near-marriageable age, tmder tactful and well fit':.ed leadership, could 
study and discuss together love, courtship, Bel&clion of mates, engage- 
ment, personal qualities and attitudes that make for success in marriage, 
the elements that make marriage difficult, the adjustments that are 
necessary, and the kinds of things that young people can do consciously 
to help insure happiness and usefulness, including of the facts of 
heredity, eugenics, and the like. 



4 



236* 

4) Clasaes, joint or separate, of youn^; fathers and 
notherc mi{^ht "be formed for the study of character education of children 
during the first six or ei^jht yearc of life. One of the important con- 
siderations in such a course v/ould he the manner of using the sex 
elements in this task of developing right character. Religion should 

do more than exhort parents to do their duty by their children. It 
should make clear v,'hat is to be done and how, in respect to definite 
personal and social problems of life. 

5) Classes made up of fathers and mothers of older boys 
and girls could be used to fit the parents to meet more intelligently 
the sex-social needs of their children, and to acquaint them v/ith v/ork 
being done elBe\7here so that they may cooperate intelligently vdth the 
schools and other agencies which may be most active in helping their 
young people, 

6) If there io a teacher-training class preparing people 
as future teachers in the religious schools, this class should include 
an effective course in the principles and methods of sex education and 
of allying this with moral and religious education in the forming of 
character. 

7) The home department, which is now largely a periodically 
defunct attempt to help people who do not go to the active school, could 
be joined with the cradle roll into a Section of Home Education by means 
of which each church uould greatly aid every home under its influence 

to recognize and solve the essential problems of home life and education, 
including sex and character education. 

8) Wliile the various joint organizations of young people 
in the church, as exemplified by the Yoiong Peoples' Society of Christian 
Endeavor, are not departments of the church school, they are devices 
for religious education. More intelligent use can be made of them if 

we recognize frankly that the only distinctive thing about them is the 
combining of the sex impulses and the social-religioue impulses at one 
of the most critical personal periods of life. The "Endeavor" societieo 
are often called "courting societies". They are. But under v.-hat aus- 
pices can courtship be better conducted? Our task is to insure that 
these natural and inevitable impulses and expressions are v/ell assimi- 
lated into the Christian spirit * 

Aside 'from these particular tasks v/hich they are in a 
position to perform, the church and its schools can furnish general 
community publicity, help to coordinate the other and more xcial 
forces, and infuse the necessary idealistic element into the community 
program in a degree which is possible with no other agency. 

The work of Ac with the clergy the teachers have a double opportunity, - 
the schools 1) personally, as influential social servants in the 
and the community, with individual parents and children, and 
teachers. 2) as professional teachers of special grades or special 

subjects. In the first particular, either by personal 

friendship to parents or pupils, the understanding teacher 
can help the home and the child to v/ork together more effectively in < 
these matters; and no less, through the parent-teachers association, 



237. 

they can collectively help the homes to organize sex and all character 
education on a more complete and scientific "baGis. There ic today 
prohably no more promicin^- meanc of improving the educational effi- 
ciency of the home than the full use of the Parent-Teachers Association. 

Some people feel that the unefulness of the teacher in 
sex education ends at this point. This does not seem reasonahle. In 
their organized capacity the cchools are supposed to tring to the 
children the most important of the selected materials coming from the 
'whole life of the race. In much of these things, - as in social pro- 
gress, history, human l3iolos;7 and physiology, home science, literature 
and art,- sex and reproduction have played a large and commanding place. 
All ther^e subjects, imless '/e mutilate and misinterpret them, contain 
much that can be made to thro"' light on the value and right use of sex 
in development. Furthermore, in the schools the tvo sexes of all ages 
in the community are brought together through many hours of the day 
in relations of study, recitation, organized and spontaneous recreation, 
and in collateral school " activities". The teachers of both sexes 
meet, advise, and guide these young people. Thcnc are all practical 
sex relations the very living and observing of v;hich are tP ing to 
educate in some way the sex knov/ledge , tastes, ideals, habits, and 
attitudes of the boys and girls. Shall the teachers cons:ciously 
recognize that such sex education is going on and organize both the 
social relationts and the instruction so that constructive results shall 
haveea chance^ or ostrich-like shall they ignore the most important 
element that is influencing character, until catastrophe comes to the 
social life of the school? 

The writer believes that the community, v/hen it v/akes to 
the importance of using sex rightly for ed^cation^. instead of alloving 
it to v;reck character through ignorance, \7ill asr.-ign to the schools a 
fairly definite part of the general program. The combined voice of 
the comraunity v;iil say to school executives and to school teachers 
something like this:- "You have the opportunity to bring the best cul- 
ture of the race to bear upon our children at a very critical time in 
their lives. More than anj?" other people in tha community you have had 
the chance to learn v:hat is tho best and soundest of this culture and 
how to use it to best advantage for the children. You have the chance 
in their moments of intenseot thought and in the reaction of their playj 
at the times v/hen their emotions are most thrilled and their purpoeea 
most generous; v/hen they arc most upheld by confidence or mo:t hximble 
with disappointment, to help them to the understanding, the masteirv, 
and the ■^"^ise use of their sex nature. V/e v.-ant .you to work out gradually 
and sanely tho most satisfactory way to give our children the essential 
facts about health in bod,/ ai^d mind, about the homo and other social relatD 
relatione, about the observations and experiences of men, about their 
visions and dreains of beauty and goodness and truth, about the unselfich- 
ness and love and devotion of men and women and youths and maidens. \7e 
want you not merely to present these as cold and scientific facts of 
history and psychology; v;e T^ant :/ou to be able to interpret them so 
greatly, both in your words and in your o-'n relations with the children, 
that they shall be inspirited to attitudes as great as humans have." 



i 



238. 

There is no other agency whose very Iife-Tausines2 it is to 
handle the naterialc of learning and experience into which the needed sex 
Imowledge of yoxing people may fall go inconspicuously and Tdthout hurt- 
ful emphasis. No other agency except the home has such intimate contacts 
^.7ith the young people in all phase': of mood and interest. It v/ould seem 
the very ohvious duty of the school therefore to present to youths and to 
interp-^et to them the facts and principles of bodily functions and health, 
of personal and social development, of sound and happy character, and of 
successful adjustments and relations. Sex is a large factor ih all of 
these. Sex naturally belongs with all the more vital of the school sub- 
jects; v;e have to mutilate these subjects in order to omit it. Every 
teacher, v/hatever his or her subject, should understand how sex and educa- 
tion are related. Hence, all higher institutions which train teachers 
must he induced to give courses -.that will fit thtir teachers to meet 
this community need. 

The Physicians, health officers, and nurses are given in their 
physicians training a fairly full knowledge of certain aspects of the 
and other problems of sex and reproduction. They are particularly 
health prepared to emphasize the relation of these subjects to 
agencies, health and disease. These are the professional bearings 

, of the subject. Because of their close connection with 

the parents and children at critical times in their family 
life, they are also in a position to render a lasting service in a social 
way, quite incidentally to their professional help, but none the less 
valuable. 

The social hygiene v.'ork of the physic ianaand nurse as 
professional people may be outlined, as 1) to attack scientifically the 
problems of the cure add the prevention of the venereal diseases; 2) to 
aid in educating adults to appreciate the causes and the results of 
these diseases, to \inderstand hov/ they are spread, and to take such 
steps as will reduce contagion to a rainiraura, and 3) to help in educating 
young people to shun exposing themselves to these diseases. Most up to 
date medical agencies are already beginning to assume these tasks as a 
part of the work which the community has a right to demand of them. 

Few physicians and nurses, however, have yet fully recog- 
nized the more social aspects of the service which they should render 
their coiifimunities. This is two-fold: 1) because of their scientific 
preparation they are peculiarly in a position to insist that all con- 
structive community sex education shall be anchored in fundamental facts, 
shall respect the scientific discoveries of a mental as well as physical 
nature, and shall not be a mere matter of emotional idealism; and, 2) 
the physician who brings the first baby into a home, and the nurse who 
helps the mother in her first care of the baby, are in a position to 
help the parents at least to begin to understand, in a scientific way, 
the role sex is to play in the life of the child from the start. If 
these people only knov; something of the biology and psychology of sex, 
and know how parents should meet the sex problems of their child for 
the first six or eight years, and if they care for the actual success 
of the homes they serve, they can do a great deal to help the parents 
do their part scientifically in guiding the child as he grows up. This, 
«f course, has nothing to do with patliology and the venereal diseases. 
It is a human privilege made possible by professional relations and 
opportunity. 



i 



239. 

Employers About five-sixtlis of the young people of hi,;h school age 
of the are not in school at all. A vjry large proportion of these 
young, are not connected at all actively vith any religious agency. 

Even more than yoimg people of the same age, who are in 

school, these v/ho are jnontly at come sort of v;ork are 
becoming prematurely free from their home influences. Employers who 
accept profits from the labor of these young people must be asked by 
society to assume also some of the responsibility for the way in which 
their sex and other character elements are influenced by their working 
conditions. There are three duties resting upon employers of immature 
people:- 1) to help arouse the community to make the best possible general 
conditions of adequate, clean, wholesome life and recreation for all its 
youth; 2) to see that the particular influences within this own business 
are hygienically, socially and morally right; and 3) to insure that the 
best social hygien education, both of the preventive and the upbuilding 
sort, is brought within the reach of his young people. 

This cannot be done to best advantage by one employer as 
"welfare" or "uplift" work. It should be a very sincere and natural 
portion of the general community social program, and in the spirit of 
the home itself which each young person is looking forr/ard to establishing* 

The Press. Vi/hile everyone at present recognizes the influence of the 

^ press in molding human thought and mass prejudice5,no one 

is able to give any outline of the way in which the press 
can be expected to serve the interests of t}ie coinmunity in this or in 
similar social and ethical enterprises. Ihvo factors make this true. 
The idea of the "freedcra of the press" has operated to exempt the press, 
as no other educational agency has been exempted, from its responsibili- 
ties for the results of its output. On the other hand, many things have 
conspired to commercialize the press in a degree- to which none of the 
other educational agencies, - as the public schools, the pulpits, and 
the religious schools, - have been commercialized. The combined results 
of these, and other influences, are that the press, whether newspaper, 
magazine, or book, accept popularity, nev;s' value, "artisitic" quality, 
and financial success, rather t'lar human v'elfaro, education, or progress, 
as their guides to policy and action, 

^Thile their number is not great outside the weeklies con- 
ducted specifically to support moral, ethical, social, religious, or 
other ^ital human interests, there are still some successful newspapers 
whose editors take the position that thoy are agencies for social leader- 
ship. These are more likely to be found in the sraaller cities ar'd towns. 
Such newspapers may be made a most effective asset in a community program 
of social hygiene education, particularly in the gradual molding of public 
opinion and attitude with respect to the home, family and the normal sex- 
character which will advance these. An active community which will ex- 
press itself emphatically can usually secure the following help from 
its press in behalf of social hygiene j- 1) the passive support of elimina- 
ting from its pages the grosser and more offensive manner of stating sex 
sensations and scandals; 3) geni^ral and continued propaganda of a con- 
structive and vital sort for the betterment of social conditions for the 
sals of the children and youth; 3) aid in organizing community sentiment 
back of sane educational movements when these are agreed upon; and 
4) popularizing for the public the constructive messages of social hygiene 
education, especially ;.'hen these are capable of being put in an appealing 



240 » 

form. For the most part the press is not as yet interested in, or even 
alive to, social hygiene education, except in its more extreme and 
bizarre aspects; but it is capable of great use when the individual 
managers are naturally sensitive to social progress or can be made so 
by self interest. 

The local In Part IV, the role v/hich laws j law enforcement, the 
governing courts and their officers may have in promoting social 
agencies. hygiene and the welfare of the home and famiDy will be 

treated at length. It is necessary here' only to insist 

that the community, Vi/hich has once grasped the relation 
of these sex problems to its ovrn welfare, has a perfect right to de- 
mand the full use of all this machinery to forward these constructive 
ends. The idea t!*mt lav/s and courts and local government are primarily 
to convict ai" d punish offenders dies hard. The educative, upbuilding, 
social-protective functions of these institutions are grasped and pro- 
moted only here and there. Instead of being left as reactionary strong- 
holds of the worst possible personal and social psycholog^^ these agencies 
of law and government must be educated and made keenly sensitive to the 
positive aspects of the sex-social relations and progress. There is, 
of course, a repressive phase to all governmental agencies; but' the 
community must not consent to th^^ idea that this is their principal 
function, one of the major purposes of a community program of social 
hygiene is to enlist the best brains, spirit, and training of the legal 
profession in a study of those ways of organizing and enforcing cur 
governing processes that v;e shall prevent sex delinqxiency by con- 
structive aafe-guards, shall heal the contributi-,.ig causes of this de- 
linquency, shall build up community support of the more human and social 
forms of sex expression, - as v^ell as segregate incorrigible offenders,. 
This means that mental testing, mental hygiene, social psychology and 
all the growing sciences of social welfare, shall become an integral 
pai^t of our equipment for legislating "and for governing. 

The stage These agencies are like the press in being verj^ v/idely 
and the and powerfully educational both to the intellect and to 
moving the emotions and attitudes; in demanding and receiving 
pictures , a large amount of freedom in matter and method of treat- 

ment; in being highly commercialized; and hence in using 

their opportunity, generally speaking, v;ithout any con- 
cern for the social or moral results. The theatre and movies even more 
than the newspaper, exploit the universal interest in sex by playing up 
the most selfish and unsocial sex desires and solutions. Decency cannot 
be made as exciting as vice. This state of ai'fiirs is pernicious in the 
extreme. It would be bad enough- if these appeals were made only to 
mature people, as a matter of fact they bring to im/iature children and 
youth an emotional and corrupting bias in favor of all that makes sound 
sex and home life difficult. It virtually amoiints 'ex"-ept for sporadic 
attempts at censorship by the public and still m.or£ sproadic ideals of 
social responsibility on the part of producers) to society paying large 
material returns to lonsocial promoters for using the sexual vices of 
the least social members of the race in order to educate the young io 
perpetuate these anti-social attitudes. If this is not imbecile pro- 
cedure it would be hj.rd to conceive such.. 



I 



241. 

The time has not yet come v/hen we can appeal to these 
agencies of entertainment to aid directly in the promotion of sound 
standards of sex-social life, The very best v;e can hope is to estab- 
lish a censorfehip which v/ill eliminate the objectionable plays and 
films; or by active boycott of houses v;her'-; vicious plays or pictures 
are jjiven make tliem xmprof itable; or by threats of censorship and boy- 
cott induce promoters to accept the same responsibility for social . • 
standards and behavior which the school or church or 3.ny other educa- 
tional agency must accept. In small communities the boycott can be 
made a very effective v/eapon, if the more constructive persuasion and 
cooperation fails to move the local exhibitor; but nothing verj' 
effective can be done unless the motives of the chief producers are 
chan^jed from greed to social progress. 

The clubs Many associations of men and v/omen for social, amusement, 
and esthetic, educational, or religious purposes are in a 
associations strong position to aid in social hygiene education. There 
for mature are fe',7 of then vhich do not more or less actively re- 
people, cognize the value of the home and the necessity of sound 

.»__ personal standards back of it. These clubs are often 

quite open to proper presentation of the subject in a 
broad and constructive, rather than in a pathological way. They are 
in a position of great advantage to aid sound social hygiene v;orK, in 
the follov.'ing ways; 1) as parents in their ovm homes; Z) as groups for 
special study and discussion of the essential and practical phases of 
the problem; 3) in spreading information and in influencing public 
opinion for progressive measures; 4) in stimulating activity on the 
part of the basic agencies. The Parent-Teachers associations, the 
Federated Womens clubs, the commercial and luncheon clubs of men, the 
secret orders, - are all illustrations of these groups. 

Clubs and There are a great many very effective organizations, of 
associations fairly recer.t origin, which seek to make thj life of boys 
for the gnd girls and young men and women more v.;holesome and happy 
young people, and effective. Space cannot be given here to discuss 
. these individually, nor eve:-; to mention themj.all. They 

range all the way from religious purpose to that of enter- 
tainment. Some emphasize only one narrow interest in life; othere under- 
take to utilize and train tati v/hole human person. The "Scouts", the 
Christian Association, the athletic, and "hiking" clubs will illustrate 
the rarige of type s , 

In most of these there is the recreative element. The 
philosophy and practical service of recreation as a means of character 
edxication will be discussed fully in Part IV. It is desired at this 
point only to suggest the high part v/hich all such agencies for helping 
boys and girls to find themselves must take in sex education, v;hether 
they plan to do it well or not. V/hile in many cases the fundamental 
information about sex must be given in these groups if it is ever 
given, their principal contribution is not inforrai.tion. Their v/ork is 
more the development of the i^Dirit and attitudes of nanliness and woman- 
liness,- the honor, fairness, consideration, democracy, generosity, ad- 
miration for the high .and .'Treat and beautiful hurn:;,n things, the courage, 
patience, self respect, self control, etc. , that go alike to make the 
real men and woman. This means physical perfection and mental health, 
as v/ell as ethisal and social sour.dness. As vre have continually pointed 



242, 

out, conceptions of rainliness and womanliness are essentially sex ideas* 
They are continually to be harnessed with sex development. In these 
clubs the opportunities to rnctke these fine coriccptions acceptable ar).d 
habitual are almost unlimited, if the leaders only understand v;hat sex 
does for life and how to make their training pedagogically fitting. 

The Scout Ilaster, or the lead<^r of boys or girls in the 
"Y", or any other guide of such groups has peculiarly good opportunities 
to combine help to the individual with stimulation to the whole groupt 
He ought to use both to the limit, making full use both of personal 
influence and of group psychology* 

In the coordination of the community efforts and agoncieG 
such leaders of young people are in a position to supplement and to in*- 
terisify the efforts of the basic agencies. Particularly are they In a 
position to arouse and cooperate with the fathers of their boys and the 
mothers of their girls, and to stimulate the young people to a better 
understanding of their homes and parents. 

Special- The very genius of our present social organization is its 
ization high degree of specialization for efficiency. The in- 
and CO- evitable first outcome of specialization however differ- 
operation, entiation, is narro\mess and provincialism. The full 

^ efficiency '>7hich specialization makes possible can never 

be had unless there is a re-integration of these dis- 
integrated elements. It is the principal purpose of t'lie community 
program of social hygiene education to help do this .in respect to sex 
and the home and family interests. To succeed in tUCs requires that, 
to the general interest which most human beings have in children and in 
the success of children, there shall be e.dded a knowledge of the part 
sex plays in the character and life of the child, and what must Ve done 
by the various social units to secure a v/holesome chance for the child. 
United in this common knowledge each special agencj'' can then contribute 
its utmost to the education of the child v'ith less fear of narrowness, 
misunderstanding and working at cross -purposes. 






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